That Girl
by Beware Drop Bear
Summary: High school is brutal. With it's cliques and soulless rumour mill, we're lucky if we make it out unscathed. My name's Izzy Swan and I planned to coast through high school without getting caught up in either of those things, but one stupid mistake has landed me in the number one spot of the latter. I'm no longer Izzy Swan, I'm 'That Girl.' My new plan? Try to make it out alive.
1. prelude

**Hi, welcome to my new WIP! Please know that I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine. This story is a dribble? drabble? (I get confused on which is which) format. Let's call it a crumble, because really, each chapter is a different size, and crumble comes in all sizes. Plus I love crumble, especially with cream. **

**Now that was dribble.**

**This story will update once a day until all finished. Please be warned that it contains snippets about teen pregnancy, abortion, teen sex, drugs etc. etc. If at any point in the story you feel you can't read on because of this, I want to thank you for trying anyway :) **

**Now on with the crumble! (very short prelude, I promise they get longer from here)**

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**That Girl**

High school is a hard enough gig as it is, with its ruthless cliques and soul-less rumour mill. I was doing okay, no, I was doing incredibly well to stay out of both. Until the day that I stupidly landed myself in the latter.

I am the girl formerly known as Izzy Swan. I am That Girl.

That Girl that preferrs books over people.

That Girl that sits with the chess club. Not because she plays chess, but because they were the only group that would let her sit in the empty seat at their table.

That Girl that sneaked out and went to that one party during the school holidays. That party where she lost her virginity to the hot guy she'd been crushing on for years.

I am That Girl that got knocked up in high school.


	2. Chapter 1

**ARGH! I just realised that FFN won't let me use crossed out lettering. Please note that anything underlined (apart from the title) is a crossed out word. It'll make much more sense this way. **

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**Mid-Year Break has Broken, Much Like My Hymen**

It has been a little over two weeks since I lost my virginity to the hottest guy in school. It's been just as long since I've heard from said boy.

Don't get me wrong, I never expected roses and chocolates, but a text would have been nice. I gave the guy my V card for God's sake! To the tune of 'Sex on Fire' by KOL I might add. It was the most spectacular two and a half minutes of my life. The least he could do was acknowledge me.

Especially since I'm pregnant with his child. Of course he doesn't know that … yet, and neither do I. I mean, sure, there's two lines on all six tests, but if you can get false negatives, surely you can get false positives, too?

Staring at the tests does nothing to ease the overwhelming sense to hurl, but I can't help myself. Maybe if I focus on them long enough, I will see that they're all negative and this is all just some horrible nightmare…

_Nope. _

Today is our first day back at school after mid-year break. Today, I have to tell Edward Cullen that I am carrying his illegitimate love child. His sperm and my egg had a party of their own. Birds lay eggs and bees pollinate. I'm pregnant … hyperventilating

The world looks a little different when my head is bowed between my legs. A little upside down and topsy turvey, but nothing as twisted and cockeyed as what's going on inside my mind.

I am pregnant. _Pregnant! _

I reach for my lap top and type the word out.

It's a horrible word. With its bloated P and the g sitting in the middle like a pair of perky B cups, taunting you that they'll never look this good again. Speaking of which, mine are in agony, and have been for three days now. That, and the mysterious disappearance of my very regular menstrual cycle, is what led me to sneaking out of the house to buy boxes of tests yesterday.

"Isabella! Time to go!"

_Oh shit! School._

I hide the tests in my top draw and head downstairs to join my parents in the dining room. Mum grabs her keys and ushers me out. I'm relieved that I don't have to stand around and make small talk, pretending that today is like every other day. I kiss the photo of my sister, as I do every morning, and follow mum to the car.

I may not have had to fake it at home, but I didn't think about the seven minute car ride to school. The ability to chit chat about nonsensical things when your whole world has been spun off its axis is like trying not to squint when looking directly into the sun. Mum notices something is wrong, but she seems to believe me when I tell her I'm just a little anxious about going back to school.

It's a half-truth after all. It's not just Edward I have to worry about. The rumour mill is going to have a field day with me. Not only did I, loner girl Izzy, sneak out to go to a party, but I got high for the first time, _and_ had sex for the first time. Although not many people were upstairs at the time, I know that at least three people saw Edward and I walk down the stairs, minutes apart, looking slightly disheveled.

Getting out, I say goodbye to mum and close the door behind me. I look around to try and gauge if anyone's staring at me, but everyone seems too deep in conversations about what they did during the break to give me a second glance. I'm confused, but decide it's a good thing and head toward my home room.

I stop short at the door to the class room when I see Edward at his locker across the hall. He turns and smiles in my direction. I can't believe it. I feel winded.

"I didn't think you were gonna show up," he says casually.

I open my mouth to reply.

"Well, I thought about it," a deep voice says from behind me.

I turn and see Edward's best friend, Jasper Hale walk by. Instinctively, I look down at my feet and step into my class.

My chest feels so heavy that it aches, and I'm so concerned about the possibility that I might be having a stress induced heart attack, that I almost miss the whispering going on in front of me.

"So is it true?" I can't remember her name, the one talking, they all look so alike. With their hair flipping and blindingly white fake smiles, it's hard to pick out the Brittany's from the Chelsea's.

"What?" Asks her companion as she flips her hair.

"That girl and Edward at Brittany's party?"

I find myself frozen in place as though the slightest movement would alert them to my eavesdropping.

"Nah, he said nothing happened, that they just kissed. He said she was too frigid. I mean did you see her? She looked like a twelve year old in that dress! I have no idea what she was doing there in the first place. Who invited her?"

"Nobody I know, that's for sure." The girls laugh and the sound churns up my insides.

I find my seat and sink down into it, hoping upon all hope that the world will just swallow me up. I'm so repulsive. Of course he wouldn't tell people that we slept together. Not only was he not going to acknowledge me, he denied me.

_Fuck my life._


	3. Chapter 2

**Pop! Goes My Bubble**

They say ignorance is bliss, but perhaps they're talking about tamer subjects than the one I'm dealing with.

School has been back for a week and I haven't even looked at Edward, let alone talk to him. Okay, that's a bull face lie. I did glance in his direction a time or two … hundred, but it was only to see if he was sneaking glances in my direction. Truth be told, for the first three days, I was torturing myself. He was like some kind of sick drug. A drug that I had depended on for over two years. A drug that I needed to quit. So I did…

It has now been two days since I have looked for him in the quarry or on my way to class. I have spent most of my time with my head down and in my books, and, if it wasn't for the retched nausea, I could have almost forgotten that the pregnancy or my night with Edward ever happened. Still, that's exactly what I have tried to do.

If the baby doesn't exist, then I don't have to tell my parents, or Edward. No one has to know. Sure, this theory might be slightly immature and I am probably going to pay for it in future, but it's what gets me through the days, and nights, so I stick with it.

Avoiding my parents has been so much easier than I thought it would be, thanks to the epic amount of homework I have brought home from school. But now that the weekend is here, I have no idea what excuses I am going to use to get out of 'family time.'

Thankfully, tonight I can still use school as my reason for going to bed at eight. If only I could sleep. The churning has been building up all week and now it's like a constant burning in the pit of my stomach. I have been laying in a foetal position for three hours, but it's not letting up.

I decide that maybe I need to go to the toilet, but when I stand up an intense stabbing pain hits me. _Something isn't right_.

Another wave of pain grips me and I fall to my knees. Groaning, I clutch at my stomach. The pain eases just as swiftly as it came, but another one comes almost immediately. I grab a hold of my bed and heave myself upright. I need to get help.

I can hear soft snoring before I'm even at their bedroom door. Making my way to my mum's side of the bed, I nearly fall on top of her as another intense wave of pain hits me. She sits up in fright and catches her breath.

"Izz? What's wrong, sweetie?" She leans over and switches on her bedside lamp.

My dad is stirring but the agonizing pain has all my attention. I grit my teeth and wait for it to die down again.

"Cramps," I manage to get out.

"Oh, honey, do you want me to get you some ibuprofen?"

My mum rubs her hand up down my arm to soothe me. I grab her hand and squeeze it in mine. Tears fall as I realise this is it. Time to burst the bubble. She needs to know.

"Mum." I look into her eyes and watch as they change from a look of concern, to one of panic when she sees my tears. "Mum, I'm pregnant and I think … I think I'm losing the baby."

The pain is constant now, but I can't tell if it's real pain or if it's now just a solidified pit of fear from the way my parents are looking at me.

"Izz? I – what the hell are you saying?"

Fresh tears stream down my face. I feel like I have just been through ten rounds with Mike Tyson. My whole being aches.

"Please, Mum, help me," I cry.

It takes them no more than five minutes to get dressed and get in the car. Within an hour of telling my parents my secret, I am lying on a hospital gurney waiting to hear the fate of my baby.


	4. Chapter 3

**Two chapters today as I won't be able to get online tomorrow. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading and to all those who've taken the time to review. Your reviews have made me write faster, because they are such great inspiration.**

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**Today is Brought to You by the Letter H**

I have never seen my dad so … so, still. He's the type of guy that's always tinkering around the house fixing things up, and usually, when he's giving me a lecture, he's pacing the room. Not tonight. Right now he's sitting in the corner of my little cubical, as far away from me as possible. He hasn't even looked at me, let alone speak a word. My mum, however, hasn't shut up since the nurse left us alone.

Her questions are frantic and my replies are short. I feel like a gutted fish. My insides burn and I'm now opening up to my parents about how their perfectly well behaved little girl snuck out of the house to go to a party and got pregnant. I didn't tell them about the drugs and I have refused to budge on the name of the baby's father.

My mum's about to approach the baby daddy subject again, when the doctor walks in. I sigh in relief and grimace at the doctor as he introduces himself.

"I'm Doctor Cullen, one of the emergency doctors on tonight. You're Isabella, right?"

_No way! This can't be happening._

When I don't respond, Doctor Cullen instead turns to my mother and offers her his hand. She stares at it a moment before taking it and giving it a limp shake.

"Renee," she replies. "Izzy's mum."

The doctor nods and then does the same for my dad. He seems to snap out of his shocked state long enough to introduce himself, but then he sits down again.

Doctor Cullen asks the same questions that the nurses have already asked and I do my best to answer them through the loud whirring noise in my head. He looks just like him, only his hair is lighter and his eyes are more of a hazel green. He studies me for a moment and then leaves the room momentarily, dragging in a small TV screen with him when he re-enters.

He explains that he's about to perform an ultrasound, but it still might not give them a definitive answer as I'm only a couple of weeks in, and asks me to lift my gown. As I do so, he lifts up the sheet to cover my bottom half, and pats my hand gently.

"Relax, this won't hurt," he reassures me.

_Relax?! Relax! I'm sixteen and pregnant, and while I might not be anymore, there are so many consequences waiting for me when this is all over. You get to go home to your perfect life, to your asshole son, WHO impregnated me by the way, not that he'd ever admit it, and I … well I will never have my parents trust again. I will never let myself be with another boy again. I will never get to be what I've always wanted to be, _I scream at him inside my head.

Cool gel is squirted onto my tummy and I squirm as he spreads it around with the stick thingy. I shut my eyes tightly and clench my fists. I'm not ready. Whatever the news is, I'm not ready.

"Ah, here we go."

My eyes fly open and I look at the screen, but all I can see is white and black blobs. He presses a few buttons and the image zooms in. He points at something, but I can't make out a thing. He looks at me for my reaction and, seeing my confusion, points at the screen again.

"See that little flicker right there?"

I hear my mum gasp and I look to her. She has tears in her eyes and she's wiping at them but fresh ones keep flowing.

"That's the heartbeat," Doctor Cullen explains.

My head snaps back to the screen and I see it now. The smallest of flickers, inside a jellybean. My heart speeds up and a million emotions overwhelm me. He leans back to the machine and presses more buttons. A galloping sound can be heard throughout the room and my hand flies to my open mouth.

"That's my baby?" I ask. Tears fall effortlessly and I can't shake this sudden feeling of relief.

"Sure is. A healthy heart beat of one hundred and sixty five beats per minute, and…" He clicks a few more buttons and then looks at me with a genuine smile. "You're measuring at approximately six weeks and two days."

"But, the pain…"

He nods in understanding and begins to pack away the machine as he talks. "It's very common to get cramping in the early stages of pregnancy. Your baby is only small, but your body is already going through a lot of changes, and, since you're not having any bleeding, then I'd say that you have absolutely nothing to worry about." He wipes the gel off my belly and pulls my gown down gently.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

His smile is so genuine and I can't help but wonder if he'd be smiling at me like that if he knew that that little heart beat belongs to his grandchild. I feel the room grow silent and I look down at my hands to keep myself busy.

"I'll leave you guys to talk, but I'm going to write down a list of a few recommendations and the nurse will be in to see you soon, okay?"

I nod and thank him again.

When he has left the room, taking the sonagram machine with him, I look up to see I finally have both mum and dad's undivided attention.

"Izzy – "

"Please, Mum, don't," I warn.

She sighs heavily and I feel her sit on the bed, but I don't look up.

"When we get home, we _will_ talk about this. Do you understand?"

I nod.

There's only a few minutes of awkward silence before the nurse comes in. She's how I imagine Mrs Claus would look. Round with rosy cheeks and a friendly smile on her face. I have never seen so many people happy about teenage pregnancy before. Then, I suppose it's all a part of their job description. Smile, somebody just puked on you.

"Now, poppet, your blood test results came back, but of course you know already that they obviously came back good. I have some things that the doctor left behind for you and here's some pamphlets with some information. Doctor Cullen also suggested that I give you his wife's number." She pauses and hands me the pamphlets and an envelope. "She's an obstetrician. The best one this side of town, I might add."

She looks up and smiles at my mum and dad. "Any questions?" They both shake their heads silently and she looks back to me. "Okay, then. Well, you are free to go, my love. When you've changed out of your gown just follow the yellow line to the exit."

I thank her, as does my mum and they all leave the room while I get changed. Moments later, I can hear mum and dad whispering outside the curtained door and, even though I'm dressed, I stay in the room to listen. It's the most I've heard my dad speak in hours, but they're so quiet, I can barely hear their a word they're saying; that is until dad suddenly raises his voice.

"Our sixteen year old daughter is pregnant, Renee, what do you want me to say?"

I fling open the curtain and glare at them, but neither of them hold my gaze. Dad sighs and turns toward the exit, mum follows him and I'm about to do the same, but am rooted to the spot when I look across the hall and see one of the Brittany's from my home room. She's wearing a hospital gown, and a very smug smile.

_Shit. _

My feet quickly become unstuck and I walk quickly to catch up with my parents. The ride home is silent and downright torturous. My mind keeps going back to the sound of my baby's beating heart. _I have a growing baby inside me._ The thought is hard to fathom. A wave of panic makes my skin feel hot and prickly. I wind the window down a bit and let the cool air calm me.

Once we are home my mum asks me to sit on the couch so we can talk. It's two in the morning and my eyes are stinging but I know I need to get this over with. My mum sits on the coffee table right in front of me and my dad chooses to sit on the recliner to my right. I put the brochures and the envelope on the table and then sit back into my seat. I figure If I'm gonna be up all night getting a lecture, I might as well be comfortable.

"How did this happen, Izzy?"

I'm stunned. Out of all the questions she could have opened up with she chooses _that_?

"Mum! You can't be serious?" Her expression tells me she's very serious. "Okay, well, um, boys have a penis and girls have a vagina – "

"No need to be a smart ass."

"Well, what the hell do you want me to say, mum? I had sex, I got pregnant! There! Are you happy? Does that answer your question?"

"Did you use protection? Did you even think of the consequences of this? For God's sake, Izzy! What in the Hell were you thinking?"

"Obviously, I wasn't thinking. You think I want to be here? You think I wanted to get pregnant? Yes, we used protection, it broke, and I did it because I'm tired of being boring Izzy. I wanted to get noticed. I wanted to do something fun for once."

My mum scoffs at me and I can see that she's biting her tongue. The room falls silent. I pick at my nails and look down at my hands.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?"

I look up to see mum is talking to dad. He looks up from the pamphlets in his hands. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

"I meant are you going to say something to your daughter?" Mum reiterates.

Dad studies me for a few seconds. "I'm very disappointed in you, Isabella."

He hasn't called me Isabella in years and the way he's looking at me makes my heart ache. He places the pamphlets on the table and walks up the stairs. I look at the stack of booklets, and, upon seeing my expression, my mum follows my gaze. Sitting on top of the pile is the one for a local abortion clinic.

My throat feels thick and my body starts to shake. I grab a cushion from the couch and bury my face into it. Sobs wrack through my body and I can't hold them back. Everything aches, the pain meshes with an all-encompassing shame, wrapping itself around me and making me numb.

...

I don't know how long mum has been holding me for, but the sky is lighter and dawn isn't far off. The crying stopped a while ago, but I can't move. I have never felt so drained in my entire life.

My mother asks me about the father again and I know she means business this time. She says she wants to get a hold of his parents. I stiffen at the thought of her finding out that the doctor and his obstetrician wife are the ones she wants to talk to. I promise her I will tell her, but beg that she let me tell him first. She agrees, on the proviso that I do it first thing on Monday.


	5. Chapter 4

**Once again, underlined words equals crossed out words. I hope it makes sense.**

**Thank you so very much for reading and extra thanks to those that have written reviews, they are power food for writers.**

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**The Bearer of**** Baby News**

I'm not sure what's worse, wanting the second worst day of your life to never come, or wanting it to come faster because you're still living out the consequences from the first worst day of your life.

Whichever it is, Monday hits me like a sledgehammer. I'm exhausted. Exhausted from dodging my mother's disappointed stares and random bouts of crying. Exhausted from my unsuccessful quest to garner some kind of positive response from my father. Exhausted because, well, because I'm pregnant.

The ride to school is surprisingly silent. I thought for sure my mother would grill me about making sure that I tell the father, and that she wanted his details when I got home. Instead, she says nothing, until we are stopped at the front of school and I have my hand on the door handle, ready to make a swift exit.

"Izzy?"

I turn to her and I'm surprised to see a look of empathy in her eyes. She leans over and pulls me into a hug. I hug her back with one arm; the other still firmly grips the door handle.

"Good luck," she whispers, before letting me go.

"Thanks, mum," I mumble.

The moment I turn and make my way to homeroom, my heart slams into my stomach. I have no idea how I am going to go about this. Hundreds of high school conversations become one constant buzzing sound in my head full of thoughts. They twirl around and around, spinning so fast that nausea begins to build in the pit of my stomach. The noise gets louder, my thoughts spin faster until … it all suddenly goes quiet.

It takes me a few moments to realise that every student body in the hall has in fact stopped talking. Not only that, but they're all staring at me. Without even realising it, it seems that I had been the topic of everyone's conversations the whole walk to homeroom, but now? Now they are silently waiting. Why? Because right in front of me, standing by his locker, is a God Edward.

I feel the familiar prickling of panic crawl across the surface of my skin, bringing with it the heat of shame. I don't know what is expected of me, but my feet seem to be glued to the floor and my throat is much too dry to talk. We stand and stare at each other like some kind of awkward Mexican stand-off, while half of the student body watches on. It is a reality T.V junkies dream, but it is my own living nightmare. Do I really have to tell him in front of all these people? Do I have to tell him at all? It's obvious that everyone knows now. Maybe I could just go on obsessing over ignoring him and he could go on ignoring me.

The shrill of the school bell startles me and the tension in the air dissipates almost instantly. No one moves, though, they all continue waiting for the drama to unfold. That is until Mr Banner walks down the hall and tells everyone to get to class.

I watch Edward slam his locker and walk by me. He doesn't even glance in my direction. I continue to watch his back for a few seconds, before looking down at my feet and shuffling into class.

My shoes are suddenly super fascinating and I somehow manage to get from one class to another without even looking up from them. Although I'm doing well to ignore people's stares and snickers, I'm still hearing what they're saying, and the rumour mill is running a million miles an hour with this one. By lunchtime I've heard that I'm pregnant with twins. That I'm already six months so it can't be Edward's, but then maybe it is. That one of the teacher's is the father. And quite possibly the most horrific one is that I don't know who the father is because I had a threesome that night.

I shudder at the thought.

I avoid the cafeteria and the quarry at lunch and instead find an empty room in the music block. As I'm getting my lunch out of my bag I hear the door open. I look up to see Edward in the door way. He takes a step inside, but then hesitates. The look on his face tells me that he wasn't expecting to see me. Seconds feel like minutes as another Mexican stand-off ensues and I feel the need to break the ice somehow.

"I'm just hiding away from the vicious rumour mill. Did you hear? I don't even know who the father is because I had a threesome that night," I laugh humourlessly.

He physically cringes and murmurs a "wow" before the light bulb moment hits him.

"So it's true? You … You're …"

"Pregnant? Yep." I have said the word to myself so many times over the weekend that it doesn't seem nearly as strange to me now.

"And I … I'm …"

"The only person I've slept with … ever." I look down at the table as a weird sense of shame comes over me, but then I realise that this is stupid. I should be happy that I'm none of the things those assholes are calling me, and I look back up at him.

He's looking at me with an expression that I can't quite decipher, but then his attention is snapped away from me and an internal turmoil begins. I sit quietly and watch him pace the room and pull at his hair in frustration. I remember being here myself a little over a week ago and I find myself sympathising with him. After about five minutes of mumbling to himself and walking a hole in the carpet, he turns to me as if he's had an 'ah-ha' moment.

"You're not keeping it, though, right? I mean you're sixteen … I'm seventeen, we can't have a baby. You could just get rid of it and it'd be like none of this ever happened. Right?"

Hatred. I feel nothing but extreme hatred as I glare at his asshole hopeful expression. I stuff all my things back into my bag and shoulder past him, out the door, letting it slam behind me.


	6. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for the reviews. I'm sorry if I haven't gotten back to everyone, this weekend has been hugely busy. I promise to write back to everyone from here on in. **

**The ending for this story has already been written, I'm just writing the guts of it all now. I know there's definitely people out there hoping for specific things to happen or a specific ending and it may not go your way, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. **

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**Say Your Prayers**

Edward hit a nerve. It's not the topic of abortion as such, (it's not like I haven't thought about it myself) but the fact that he is determined to forget that anything between us ever happened, really makes my chest ache. How could he deny what we'd done? Especially now that the consequences of our actions is growing inside me … and making me chunder like nobody's business.

I spend the rest of lunch in the girls' toilets revisiting what I'd managed to get down during the baby news debacle. After I've given up everything I've eaten in the past twenty four hours, and some, I make my way to English with my head down and an ache in my head that, thankfully, prevents me from hearing, or caring, about what's going on around me. Unfortunately it also prevents me from hearing Angela call my name and I jump when she taps me on the shoulder.

"Sorry," she says. "I have been calling out to you for ages."

"Sorry, I'm in my own world," I mumble.

Angela is from the chess club that I sometimes sat with during lunch. She's normally a pretty shy girl and I'm surprised that she's approached me at all. Especially since I'm now a social pariah.

"How are you, Izzy?" she asks with genuine sympathy.

"Uh, I'm okay, thanks," I lie.

"I've been praying for you." She puts a hand on my shoulder and looks at me sternly. "Everything is going to work out. Of that I am certain. God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but I'm here if you ever need to talk, okay?"

I'm reminded that she's the pastor's daughter, but I'm certain that her words are genuine and I'm so floored by her kindness that tears well up in my eyes. I blink them away.

"That's really sweet, thank you, Angela."

She smiles at me and I instinctively smile back. "You're welcome," she says before walking off toward her class.

Feeling rather dazed, I watch her for a moment when she turns slightly and waves at me, her smile still broad and encouraging. I give her a small wave in return and then walk into my class.

"Is that the thirteen year old girl that got pregnant by the teacher? What's she doing in this class?"

*cough* "slut" *cough*

"She doesn't even look pregnant. What a lying attention whore."

I am slammed back into the depths of hell before I even make it to my seat.

...

Three o'clock takes about a week to arrive and I'm finally about to escape this hell hole when I feel someone behind me while I'm waiting for my mum. I turn to see Jasper Hale standing with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Hey, Bella."

"No one calls me Bella," I deadpan.

"Alice called you Bella."

My heart catches in my throat at the mention of her name, and, in that one sentence, he has my undivided attention. "You knew my sister?"

"Yeah, I knew your sister." His smile holds a secret that I'm pretty sure I don't want to know, and I scrunch up my nose at him. He chuckles, but then suddenly his face is serious and he looks at me imploringly. "Listen, I just wanted to tell you that Edward's kind of in shock right now and I need you to know that he's not usually –"

"Such an asshole?" I interrupt.

Jasper reels back a little. "Woah! Little, mumma!" I cringe at his name for me and he apologises. "But you are, right? The rumours are true?"

I nod, but then decide I may need to point out which rumour is true. "Yes, I'm pregnant. No, I didn't have a threesome, an affair with a teacher, or an ape or whatever else they're saying now."

"An ape?" he chuckles. I shrug and he goes to continue, but my mother's car slows to a stop in front of us. "Just go easy on Edward, yeah? He just needs some time to let it sink in." He walks off before I get a chance to respond.

"Was that boy him?" My mother asks, the second I'm in the car.

"No," I assure her.

"He looks familiar…"

"His name is Jasper, he says he knew Alice."

Mum pulls out of the parking lot and is silent for a full minute before she whispers "I remember now." She swallows hard and I know she's trying not to cry. "He came to the house during her wake and gave me a necklace that he said belonged to her. He gave his condolences and walked off before I could ask who he was. I had never seen the necklace before, but I put it in her jewellery box and left it at that."

"Which one?"

I had been through Alice's things a few times in the last couple of years, and had asked if I could borrow clothes and jewelry. Even though she was no longer here to give me permission, it felt wrong to just take the things that belonged to her. Of course, in my mind, she always says yes. Apart from my careful borrowing, her room has remained untouched since she passed two years ago from an aggressive brain tumour. This year she would have been turning nineteen.

"It's the gold one with the diamond 'A' pendant. It's beautiful, I don't know why she never wore it, or who gave it to her."

I smile secretly to myself. Alice was too alternative to wear something so flashy, but I'm pretty sure I know who gave it to her. It seems that there's more to Jasper Hale than the popular jock and heart breaker he claims to be.

"So if he isn't the father, who is?"

My mother's words crash into the open space my mind was happily floating about in. Suddenly reality comes flooding back and I feel my body tense up.

"Can't this wait until we get home?" I ask, stalling.

"We are home," Mum points out as she pulls into our driveway and puts the car in park.

_Mum, one, Izzy, zero. _

"Inside, kitchen table, now," she says sternly.

I grab my bag, give a heavy sigh and make my way inside. I'm surprised to see my dad in the kitchen, I half expected him to be at work. I slump into a chair at the table and wait until my parents have join me before opening my mouth, but my throat is dry and I can't find the words I want to say. It should be simple. Edward Cullen is the father. But nothing comes.

"Did you tell him?" Mum asks to break the silence.

I nod.

"And?"

"And he … didn't take it very well," I elaborate.

"And?" Mum coerces.

"And?" I repeat.

"His name!" She exasperates.

"Oh!" I look to my dad to see him shaking his head. I glance back at my mum to see her waiting, not so patiently. "Well … um … do you remember the doctor from the hospital?" I wait for a reply but get none, so I carry on. "Remember the one that did the ultrasound thingy –"

"Yes we remember, you silly girl, just spit it out!"

"Oh, well, um, it's his son. Edward. Edward Cullen."

Silence. Silence that seems to go on for an eternity. I start to wonder if time has actually frozen, when my mother finally makes a move. She rises from her seat and grabs her phone from the kitchen bench. I dare a glance at my father but he is staring down at the table with his head in his hands.

Mum settles back in her chair with her phone and a familiar looking business card. I ask her what she's doing.

"Calling Doctor Cullen."

_Shit._


	7. Chapter 6

**What's the Deal?**

Mum's conversation with Mrs Cullen was a short one. It sounded as though she expected my mother to call, and that could only mean one thing; Edward has already told his parents. We are invited over and I am ordered to get up to my room and make myself look presentable. I beg my parents to hold off on the meeting, but I give up when I realise that I will never get a say in any decisions regarding my predicament. My parents have lost all their trust in me and my ability to make mature decisions.

This doesn't stop me from spending an immeasurable amount of time in the shower waiting for a great stalling idea to hit me, but nothing comes. The whole 'good ideas come to you in the shower' is baloney I realise, and I get out. I pick out my favourite pair of jeans and a tee to wear, but my plan is foiled when my jeans won't button up. I try lying down to button them up and celebrate with a rather awkward fist pump when I'm successful, but the moment is short lived when I stand up and the button pops open.

A knock at the door takes my attention away from my dilemma and I ask who it is.

"It's mum."

"Come in!" I call.

She barely makes it through the door when I suddenly burst into tears.

"Oh, Izzy, I know it is scary honey, but it's got to be done, and better that it happens sooner rather than later." My mum puts an arm around me and I lean on her.

"I'm not crying because of that!" I wail.

"Oh, well what's wrong?"

"I can't do my button up." I turn out of her embrace and lift up my shirt to show her my stubborn jeans.

I'm shocked into silence when I notice she's smiling. "Mum, it's not funny."

"I know dear, I know. You're just bloated, that's all."

I explain to her that I've barely eaten today and what I have eaten was brought back up after lunch time and her reply makes me cry anew.

"Not with food, honey, with a baby. You may not look pregnant, but your body is changing, and it's only going to keep on changing … and growing."

She sits on the edge of the bed and pats the space beside her. I sit and lean into her.

"Is there something else bothering you?" she asks cautiously. "Did something happen when you told Edward?" She waits a few seconds before getting to her point. "Did he hurt you, Iz?"

"No! ... Well, yes, but not in the way you're thinking." Fresh tears well and spill as I think about what he said to me earlier today. "He wants me to get rid of it," I whisper. "He wants to forget that this – that we – ever happened."

I am a hot mess. Wave after wave of tears fall effortlessly and I can't seem to make them stop. I cling to my mother as she holds me. Many minutes pass before she speaks again.

"You really like this boy."

"What gave that away," I scoff.

"You've brought his name up a few times and you've always spoken of him with admiration."

I mull this over and try to think of when I would have possibly brought up Edward in conversation with my parents.

"You know, when I found out I was pregnant with your sister, your dad and I didn't know if we could go through with it."

Astonished, I sit up and look at her in shock. She nods and pushes some tear drenched tendrils away from my face. "We were only nineteen, we didn't think we were ready to be parents," she explained.

"And with me?"

"Oh you were a surprise, too." She smiles as if reminiscing. "It was when we first got that old station wagon and your dad wanted to christen–"

"Ugh! Okay." I hold up my hand to stop her. "No need for details."

She chuckles and shoulder bumps me. "Well you asked!"

"Ewww, not for that imagery, thank you very much!"

We both laugh and I feel so much lighter than I did a minute ago.

"All I'm saying is," she's serious again and I turn to face her, "I'm sure Edward didn't mean what he said, he's likely just very scared and needs some time to let it sink in, that's all."

Funny, that's exactly what Jasper said. I begin to wonder if maybe they're right.

"So why are we going there tonight then?" I ask adamantly.

"Because, Iz, we do need to talk seriously about where to go from here."

I look down at my cream carpet, and then at my toes and notice that they need to be repainted. I wriggle them and let my mind drift off, thinking about what colour to do.

"You do know that no matter what anyone says, the choice is yours." Mum's words break my train of thought and I look at her inquisitively. "Your father and I aren't too happy that _our_ baby is having a baby, and Edward may feel that he's not ready for this, but it is your body, and it is your choice. No matter which way you go it is a choice you have to live with for the rest of your life, so you need to think about what you're willing to live with. A baby is for life, but an abortion doesn't always fix things, and sometimes even that can leave you with scars that you'll carry around for life. You have a lot to consider and a decision needs to be made sooner rather than later."

Tears well up again and I try to blink them away but they spill over and I growl in frustration as I wipe at them.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" I groan.

"Aww, honey," she laughs and pulls me into her, "it's just hormones. I would cry at the drop of a hat when I was pregnant with you girls."

I barely have time to imagine my mum as a pregnant hormonal mess before she speaks again.

"Okay," she pats me on the leg and stands up, "find some pants with an elastic waist and get yourself down stairs. We have to get going."

I sigh in defeat and stand up. "Mum?" I catch her just as she's walking out, "thank you."

"It's what I'm here for." She smiles, before closing the door behind her.

It takes me another five minutes to find a pair of leggings I'm happy with and another ten minutes to fix my hair and put some make up on my tear stained face.

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**Thank you for reading. Thank you two times for those that have reviewed. They're like cream to my crumble. **

**BDB x**


	8. Chapter 7

**So Many Holes**

The drive to the Cullen's is a blur and I'm so lost inside myself that I don't even realise that we've stopped, until my dad opens my door and asks if I'm coming or not. I want to say not, but I know that it's not really a multiple choice question.

Their house is intimidating. Lavish and imposing with a ridiculous amount of land surrounding it. My dad knocks on the door and it opens almost instantly. Mrs Cullen is standing there with a smile and she introduces herself with a friendly hand shake. We are all ushered inside and then follow her through a wide hallway until we turn right into a grand sitting room, which houses the most luxurious lounge suite I've ever seen. It's made of a solid wood, oak I'm guessing, and is covered in a gold and red patterned material. It looks as though it belongs in a palace, but it fits right in here, surrounded by colossal bookshelves filled with thousands of books, and high ceilings supported by wooden beams.

Mr Cullen rises from one of the chairs and re-introduces himself to my parents and me and goes to sit back down again, but instead rises and looks past us. I turn to see that Edward has joined us and I can't help but ogle him. He's in jeans and a polo, his hair is wet and dishevelled. He looks scrumptious. I want to slap my hormones for making me feel this way about him.

"Here he is, my irresponsible son, Edward. Edward, meet Mr and Mrs Swan, and of course, you know Isabella."

My face warms at his comment and I watch as Edward awkwardly says hello and sits down in a chair opposite my parents and I.

A void, the size of the Grand Canyon, forms in the room. It's so still and quiet that if anyone passed gas right now, I'd hear it. I beg my body to hold off on the nervous farts until we're at least in the car on the way home.

"Well," Mrs Cullen's voice cuts through the silence, "Renee, Charlie, why don't you join us in the family room, I'll get us all some drinks. Isabella? Would you like a drink?"

I rise and make to follow, but she puts up a hand to stop me, "No, dear, you stay here and talk among yourselves, I'll bring in some drinks."

"Mum!"

"Edward, you will talk." His mother gives him a stern look, daring him to defy her. Instead, he looks down into his lap.

I watch as all the adults leave the room and then turn back around to see that Edward has his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. The new silence is agonizing and I find it hard to sit still when the air is so thick with tension.

Getting up, I walk over to one of the bookshelves and brush my finger along their spines. I spot a medical book with an interesting title and pull it out.

"What are you doing?"

Edward's voice almost makes me jump and I take a calming breath before turning to him and holding up the book.

"Learning about '_The secret of sphincters_,'" I say as casually as my nerves will let me.

Amused, he laughs, and I bask in the sound of it as it echoes around the room. I put the book back in its place and smile to myself. Making my way down to the next bookshelf I hear him stir behind me.

"That's not even the weirdest one," he informs.

I can tell by his voice that he's no more than two feet behind me. I stay poised where I stand and wait to hear him speak again, but we're interrupted by the appearance of his mother. She puts down a tray with some glasses and two jugs, each full with very different coloured liquid and then gives Edward another hard look, before exiting swiftly.

"Wow." I stare at the tray and try to decipher what's in the carafes.

"That's my mum, always going overboard. Water or iced tea? At least, I think it's iced tea."

"Um, just water, thanks." I sit and wait as he pours me a drink and then thank him when he hands it to me.

He pours himself a water and sits on the other end of the three seater sofa I'm sitting on. We both take a sip of our drinks and then put down our glasses on the table. Silence follows and I'm about to get back up to explore the room some more when Edward turns to me and sighs.

"I'm sorry for what I said today."

He pauses.

I wait.

"I'm just not ready… for this."

"And I am?" I suddenly feel irritated by him.

"I get that, it's just … fuck!" He pulls at his hair and starts pacing the room.

I watch him until he makes me dizzy, then I lay back into the sofa and close my eyes. I think about what my mother said earlier today. About how I have a very important choice to make, and soon. After seeing the heartbeat, I'm not so sure I can go through with an abortion, but I'm not ready or capable of being a mum. There's always adoption, but could I really give up my baby? This is all too hard, but I need to say something.

"Edward?" I hear his pacing stop, but I don't dare open my eyes. I'm afraid that if I do, I will lose the courage to tell him what I need to say. "I don't know what I want to do … about the baby … I know I have to make a choice, but I don't know which way I'm going to go yet."

I feel him sit back on the sofa but I still don't open my eyes.

"But I don't think that I could get an abortion," I add hastily.

I open one eye cautiously and see that he's now leaning back into the couch with his head back and his fingers grip at his hair. When he sits back up, he glances at me sideways.

"So you're keeping it?"

"There is adoption," I point out.

"Shit." He's up and pacing the room again. He mumbles 'shit' repeatedly as he burns a hole in the plush carpet.

I begin to wonder if this is how he stays in such good shape. A few hours a day of pacing is sure to burn some calories. Maybe it's something to consider putting in my exercise regime. I scoff at the idea of me exercising and accidentally get Edward's attention in the process.

"Why are you so calm about this?" he demands.

I look at him like he's lost his mind, because it's blindingly obvious that he has. "I'm sixteen and pregnant. I'm a walking reality television show. If you think this is what I imagined for my future, you are sorely mistaken. I'm as freaked out and scared as they come."

"Well, you could at least act it."

He's angry and I am instantly fired up as a flood of rage and hurt overwhelms me. I stand up and take a step toward him.

"I have spent the past few weeks sick to my stomach at the thought of … all of this. My whole life is ruined because I spent one stupid night with the stupid boy I've had a crush on for years. I'm the one that's going to get fat. I'm the one that has to … get it out. You have no idea what's going on inside my mind. Don't tell me how to act!"

"Well, don't worry, this stupid boy is sorry he even slept with you. I should have known you were just going to cause problems."

They're offhanded and careless words, but, like a slap in the face, they leave me stunned. My chest feels like a gaping wound, I feel vulnerable and exposed. Glaring at him, I blink back tears. I loath him. I loath him so much right now that it turns my insides out. No amount of force could possibly stop me from blowing up at him.

"I feel so God damn stupid! So stupid for not seeing you for who you really are, until this very moment. Before, earlier today, I was almost going to let that go and take it as just a seventeen year old guy freaking out about getting a girl pregnant. But now I see that you are just an arrogant, and self-centered asshole. Fuck this! I didn't even want to come here!" I fume. I turn to walk away, but then turn back to him. "Why don't you just go on pretending I don't exist, and I promise I won't burden you with my _problems_ anymore?" I turn on my heels and storm out of the room, before hot, angry tears spill over my cheeks.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and double the thanks for those that reviewed. I have had a few questions asked that I figured I'd answer here too in case others were wondering the same thing. **

**This story will be in Bella/Izzy's POV only. I do have some outtakes written in Edward's POV which I will post separately when the time comes.**

**Although it's one chapter a day, the story won't be very long. The time line will move a little quicker after the next couple of chapters.**

**This is not an anti-abortion story, I'm simply basing Izzy's thoughts on my own when I found out I was pregnant. **

**Edward is a 17yo hormonal boy who has a lot of growing up to do. Teenage boys don't change overnight, he will stay angry, confused, and be a bit of an asshole for a while. Possibly until the end. But there will be a kind of HEA, I promise.**

**I hope you're all enjoying and thanks again for reading and letting me in on your thoughts x **


	9. Chapter 8

**A friendly reminder that underlined words are crossed out words. I could probably just leave them out of the story, but they're Izzy's character and I like them...**

* * *

**The Hangover Part I**

I feel groggy and lethargic. My body knows that it's time to get up and get ready for school, but it also knows that the likelihood of this happening any time soon is zero to none. Groaning, I roll over and look outside my window to see that it's an overcast day and I feel a small surge of excitement. I love rainy days.

The door opens and mum comes in for the second time this morning. She's not as cool and calm as she was the first time though, and her face means business when she tells me once again that it's time to get up.

"You're not skipping school today just because of what happened last night. You have to face Edward at some point. You kids are having a baby which means it's time to grow up. Plus we have a meeting with Mrs O'Hare today," she reminds me again.

"Yes, because it's my fault that my baby's father is an arrogant asshole."

She raises an eyebrow at me. It's a silent warning for my language, but I am too tired to care.

"It's your fault that the father of your baby is seventeen years old." She busies herself picking up my dirty washing as she talks.

"Would you rather I had picked an older guy?" I retaliate.

"I would have preferred that you didn't have sex at all," she bites back.

"Like ever?" I dig.

She stops to give me a stern look. "Need I remind you that I am still your mother, and I can still put you over my knee?" she warns.

I laugh. I don't know why I'm in such a good and witty mood. I had my heart ripped out of my chest last night, but, somehow, this morning I feel carefree and happy. I guess I'm just glad to feel free of my crush. Edward showed his true colours last night and I no longer feel anything for him. Except hatred.

"You'd have to catch me first," I quip.

"Well, you're going nowhere fast right now," she reminds me.

I groan and pull back the covers. "I'm getting up," I promise, and roll out of bed.

School is school. I am still at the top of everyone's controversial gossip list, yet I somehow manage to keep my sunny disposition, especially since I now have Angela in my corner. She has been walking me from one class to the next all day. It is between third and fourth period that another person falls into step with us and I look over to see Jasper Hale looking down at me with a dimpled smile.

"Hey, Li'l Mumma, hey Angelic Angela," he greets.

"Hellooo, please-don't-call-me-that-Jasper," I reply.

"So, li'l mumma, way to go easy on Edward," he says, ignoring my request.

"Yeah, well, he deserved it."

"Are you sure?" he pushes.

I stop and turn to him. "What has he told you?" I ask, looking up into his blue-grey eyes.

He shrugs "just that you bit his head off last night and basically told him that you didn't want anything to do with him."

I take a deep breath to push down the anger rising within me. "Did he tell you the bit where he said that he wished he didn't sleep with me because all I've done is cause him problems?" His silence tells me that this is news to him and I smile at him victoriously. "Didn't think so." I continue walking and don't give Jasper a backwards glance.

"Are you okay?" Angela asks when we get to our science class – the only class we have together.

"Never felt better!" I assure her. And, strangely, I haven't.

After lunch I meet mum in Mrs O'Hare's office. Mrs O'Hare looks like she should be holding a whipping cane. She's a thin woman, with shoulder length grey/blonde hair and when she smiles it forms a hard line that looks more like a disparaging look. But when she talks, it's like candy and butterflies. All sweet and soft.

We talk earnestly about my predicament and I assure her that I want to continue on with school and go on to get my HSC. She commends me and reminds me that if I have any issues, ie. If I find my work load too much, the student body is being a bunch of twats unkind, or I am needing some time off, that I can come to her any time.

I thank her and we leave her office. Mum tells me that she'll see me after school and I'm left to make my own way to social studies. On the way, however, my body decides that it needs to bring up lunch and I make a stop at the ladies toilets.

By the time I finish and rinse my mouth out with my trusty pocket sized mouth wash, the bell has gone to signal the end of class. I exit the bathroom and accidentally collide with someone.

"Watch where you're – oh, it's you."

I look up at Edward and give him a hard glare, then turn and storm away. I know my mother said we need to talk, but I would rather watch vultures peck at his pea sized brain than deal with his shit right now.

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**One more chapter of this kind, then we'll be transported to a little ways down the road with Izzy in the chapters after that :) **

**Reviews are like chocolate x**


	10. Chapter 9

**Growing Up **

The rest of the week at school passes without incident. Edward and I continue ignoring each other. Angela and I get to know each other. Everyone continues talking about me, Edward, and our spawn. Every single day is like the one before it. I'm almost getting used to being That Girl.

My mother and father, however, are putting the pressure on at home. I have to make a choice, and I have to make it soon. When I confide in Angela, I'm surprised when she says that, despite her religious upbringing, she wouldn't think differently of me if I got an abortion and that she will support me through any choice I make.

When the weekend comes my mother gets the upper hand and corners me in my room. A very long and emotional discussion ensues. I decide that I can't go through with an abortion and tell mum that I'm seriously considering adoption, because I just don't feel ready to be a mum, even though I know that I would have their support. She hugs me and says that she'll organise an appointment with the adoption agency.

I spend the rest of the night thinking about everything from my baby's future parents to how weird it is that tadpoles turn into frogs. I'm lucky if I get an hour of sleep.

Monday comes and I think I'd rather stab myself in the eye than go to school. Alas, my mother is in my room once more telling me that I have to go because it's the responsible thing to do. Not only that, but I need talk to Edward about our discussion.

"Seriously, Mum, I'd much rather talk to a toilet than him ... speaking of toilets –" I bolt to the bathroom and spew up dinner. My taste buds and I agree that it was much more enjoyable going down than up.

When I walk back into my room I'm surprised to see mum is still in there. She looks at me sympathetically, and then busies herself making my bed.

"You're having a baby, Izzy. It's time to grow up. Edward is a seventeen year old boy, and he will probably go on being a seventeen year old boy. It's not real to them, because it's not them that goes through the changes, it's us. It sucks, and it's not fair, but us girls don't get that choice, we don't get to go on with life as if nothing happened. We change, and we mature because we have to. When you choose to have a baby, you need to show maturity and class. You need to be the best that you can be so that your baby grows strong and healthy. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She stops fussing over the wrinkles in my bedspread and looks up at me.

I chew on my bottom lip and nod. I do get what she's saying. Edward might not have to grow up, but I do, and the best way to show maturity and class is to face Edward with a level head and discuss the future of our baby.

I get it. I do, but when I see Edward sitting with his friends at lunch, laughing over some stupid story his friend just told him, I am tempted to punch him in the throat and cuss him out, because that's what he deserves. Instead, I take a deep breath and I say his name as calmly as possible.

His whole circle of friends goes quiet and he turns around in surprise.

"Can we talk?" I ask.

He looks back to his friends and shrugs as though he has no idea what I could possibly want to talk about. I turn and walk a few feet away and wait for him to join me.

"What's up?" he says casually once he's beside me.

_What's up? _I bite my tongue so hard that I'm moments away from puncturing a hole in it.

"I need to talk to you. Can we go somewhere a little more private?" For once I don't feel like an insecure and nervous little girl around him. I feel like I'm about to have a conversation with a child. Which isn't very far from the truth.

"Music room?" he suggests.

We walk side by side to the music block. Neither of us talks. It's awkward as hell.

Once inside the room he finds a chair and waits, but I decide that I want to stay standing.

"I'm having the baby," I look him in the eye and a small part of me takes glee in the fact that he looks panicked. "My mum is making an appointment with an adoption agency. I don't know when it will be, yet, but I just wanted to see if you would like to come," I finish.

Panic turns to anger and I'm taken aback when he jumps out of his seat and approaches me. I take a step back.

"Wait a minute! Don't I get a say in this?"

"It's my body, Edward, it's my choice. I am not getting rid of it, and, you said it yourself, we're not ready to be parents, this is the best choice. For both of us." I stand my ground.

"That's not even –" His fists clench and flex, he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. "The other night –" He stalls and looks at me. I stand tall and challenge him. I am not backing down from my decision. Seconds feel like hours and I finally see defeat in his eyes. "You know what? Fuck you, Bella."

I watch him walk past me and out the door.

"I'll take that as a no, then?" I call out to the empty room.

Funnily enough, I feel exhilarated. I stood my ground and I won. Edward acted exactly how I thought he'd act and it's obvious that he really doesn't want to be a part of this. I'm finally able to cut him out of this whole equation. I walk out of the music room with my head held high and a smile on my face, until something hits me.

He called me Bella.

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**I don't know why, but every time I see a review I'm so nervous to open it because I half expect people to be jumping down my throat about not liking certain parts of the story or something else...I don't know. I want to thank you all for being so kind. All the reviews so far have made me smile a mile wide. I feel very lucky, and loved, so thank you x **


	11. Chapter 10

**Growing Out**

It's been four weeks since Edward and I have spoken. We've caught each other's eye from across the quarry or the hall now and then, but neither of us has uttered a word.

While he has continued being his usual jackass self and spent his days enjoying high school and all it has to offer, I have gotten fatter, sicker and more conscious of the fact that I am really, truly up the duff. I've also had counselling sessions with the adoption agency, bought new school uniforms and I have even had a heart to heart with my dad. While he's still not impressed and completely trusting of me, he thinks that my choice is selfless and says he's proud of how mature I've been about it.

If only he knew about the immature thoughts that pop into my head whenever I see Edward at school. So far:

-his head has swelled from ego-itis and got so big that he toppled over and his head exploded on impact

- His eyeballs fell out of his head while looking at one of the Brittanys and then he trod on them, pulling them out of their sockets. The rest of the day he spent walking into things.

- He ate something bad, and big, puss filled boils covered his face and arms. He looked just as ugly as I imagined his heart looked.

It's not just my imagination that's going crazy, I am having some messed up dreams as well. I keep having a reoccurring dream that I give birth to a little boy and then I kick him like a football out the hospital window and call out "have a good life!" then I get dressed and ask mum to drive me home. It's horrifying and so unsettling that I bring it up with Angela. She suggests that maybe I'm having second thoughts about the adoption, but I assure her that that is certainly not the case.

I am woken from this crazy dream again by my mother's voice. It's time to get up. Today, I don't mind, because I'm not going to school, today I'm going for an ultrasound. At least it seemed like an awesome idea, but by the time we're in Doctor Cullen's waiting room, I have been holding my bladder for one and a half hours, and I'm fairly certain that I am just moments away from pissing my pants.

I'm surprised that we're still using her services after everything that's happened, and then I'm even more confused when Doctor Cullen meets my mother with a friendly hug and they call each other by their first names.

"Hello, Izzy," she greets me with a smile and talks as if we've known each other all our lives, "are you ready?"

I nod and she asks us to follow her through to her room. We each take a seat and Doctor Cullen, or Esme, as my mother calls her, sits on the other side of a large wooden desk. First she asks me to weigh myself, and I'm shocked to learn that I've already put on two kilos. She then asks me a few questions about my eating habits, and my symptoms. I explain that what I eat usually comes back up and she promises this will start subsiding soon. I also tell her that I'm peeing every five minutes, that I'm so exhausted I could sleep standing up, and that my breasts are turning into melons.

"Perfect, it all sounds normal to me," she assures.

Well, that's just awesome. Pregnancy equals turning into a fat, big breasted zombie. Had I known this, I don't think I would have had sex … like ever.

Next I get to lay down on the bed and she has a feel of my tummy. She smiles at me and says I have the cutest little pot belly already.

I couldn't be happier because having a cute little pot belly was right on top of my bucket list.

Finally she gets to the good part and I wait anxiously as she moves the stick thingy around on my belly. She clicks a few buttons and I see the screen zoom in, then I gasp. There's the unmistakable shape of a baby on the screen. _My baby_. She pushes a little harder on my belly and I see the baby wriggle, and then throw up an arm. Attached to it is a perfectly formed hand that seems to wave at me.

"Oh my God!" I can't believe what I am seeing. There's no longer a jelly bean inside of me, it's a real live baby. A baby! I think I'm in shock. And in love.

I feel something touch my hand and I look over to see my mum smiling at me, her cheeks are wet with tears. I squeeze her hand and smile back at her.

"We just need to get a few measurements and then I'll try to get some good pictures for you to take home, okay?"

I watch the screen as she does her measurements and laugh when the baby starts wriggling around again. I hear a few clicks then a whir sound and I'm handed a bit of paper with three pictures. One is the baby's profile up close, the next is baby from head to toe, seemingly putting their little legs up and resting, and the last one is of baby waving.

"Some great pics for this early on," Esme says as she cleans up the gloop from my belly.

I agree and continue staring at the little hand in the picture.

"Izzy?" I look up at Doctor Cullen and her expression is one of consternation. I'm worried that something is wrong and sit up straight. "I know you guys are having … issues, but would you mind if I showed these to Edward? I mean … if you wanted to do it … or if you don't want me to, I completely understand."

I'm surprised that she's even asking me, it's her grandchild, she can do whatever she wants with the pictures. Besides, I hardly think some photos of a twelve week old baby are going to make him change his attitude about this.

"Sure. You can show him."

She smiles at me and I go back to looking at my pictures.

As soon as we're home I run straight into Alice's room to tell her the latest. I have been hanging out in her room almost daily these last few weeks. I miss her and hate that she's not here to be a part of this. Despite the fact that I'm only sixteen, I know she would have been so excited to be an auntie.

"It's not a jelly bean anymore, Alice. I'm having a baby." I lay on her bed and hold up the pictures. "Baby says 'hi' by the way," I chuckle at my own joke, and an unexpected sob follows. "I wish you were here to tell me what to do. For once in my life, Alice, I don't know what to do. I thought I did, but I don't. Help me, Alice, why aren't you here to help me?"

I cry into her pillow until I fall asleep, clutching the black and white pictures to my chest.

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**The weekend is here and I'll be offline for 2-3 days again, so I'm giving you two chapters to gander at. We skip ahead in time a little with these two, then there's another skip ahead in Monday's chapter, but I make up for it by making it much longer than these...at least that's what I'm telling myself. **


	12. Chapter 11

**Boys will be boys**

I run down stairs for breakfast and I'm shocked when I see dad standing in front of the fridge looking at the pictures of my baby. After dinner last night, mum had asked if she could put them on the fridge and I agreed. I had a sneaking suspicion that my mother was up to something, but I wasn't sure what, until now. She's trying to get dad onside. He smiles at the picture and then waves back at the baby. I can't help but laugh, and he jumps at the sound.

"Izzy! Don't sneak up on me like that!" He opens the fridge to get the milk out as though he didn't just get caught being all cute.

"Dad, I practically stomped down the stairs like an elephant. You're just getting deaf in your old age," I tease.

He grumbles and walks over to his coffee, I open the fridge and get out the orange juice.

"Cute pictures, hey Dad?" I dig as I get a glass out of the cupboard by his head.

"Hmmm." Is all he says before he makes his way to his chair in the family room.

I smile as I pour myself an OJ. I skull it down in five seconds flat, and then pour myself another one before putting the juice back in the fridge. It's my latest craving.

Once I've finished that glass I make my way back upstairs and squeeze into my uniform. I look like Pamela Anderson; if she were a brunette, pregnant sixteen year old. Sadly, today is too warm to hide my jugs with a jacket. I'm not the only one to notice the sudden overnight growth of my chest. My mother's eyes balk out of her head when she sees me in the foyer.

"I know right?"

"I'll order you a new uniform," is all she says, before ushering me out the door.

School is much nicer lately now that I'm no longer at the top of the gossip list. A couple of weeks ago one of the Brittany's got her period for the first time and had to wear a jacket tied around her waist for the rest of the day. Following that, one of the teachers got arrested for having an affair with a student, though not a student at our school, it was all people were talking about lately.

Today, however, people are staring, and I know it's because of my new assets. Angela has no qualms with pointing out the obvious about my chest and the new found attention I'm getting from the males around school. I tell her to stop staring and she says she can't help it.

We're walking to fourth period and laughing about what we could use my melons for, like holding the contents of my purse and playing whack-a-mole, when we hear the obvious sounds of a fight. I turn to see that Edward has a guy up against a locker with a hand around his throat and his other hand raised in a fist.

"That's the mother of my baby, you fucking asshole! Don't talk about her like that!"

His voice echoes down the hall and everyone stops to watch. The guy looks around, his eyeballs look like they're about to burst out of his head. He puts his arms up in surrender and Edward lets him go.

I am still trying to pick my jaw up off the ground when Edward picks up his bag and glances at me, his expression is still one of fury, but his eyes hold something else. He turns away from me and walks to class.

"Holy heck, that was hot," I hear from beside me.

I look over to see Angela, flushed and mouth agape. "Oh, man, I am a bad influence on you. We have to get you to the confessional, post haste!" I joke.

She shoulder bumps me and laughs. "It's not like I'm gonna go over there and … crap, never mind." She turns bright red.

"And get pregnant by him? Don't worry, I did it for you, I'm just that good a friend." I smile at her to put her at ease. I know she didn't mean to be hurtful.

"Sorry," she apologises, "but, seriously, did you not find that hot?" she asks as we start walking to class again.

"Hot? No. Weird? Yes," I muse.

Thankfully, Angela reads the situation well and drops the subject. Not the gossipers, though. They pick this one up and splatter it all over school. By the end of the day I've heard that I was the one that put the guy up against the wall, to which I say not unless he had the face of Edward would I have energy enough to put someone up against the wall. That Edward and I are an item, to which I stick my fingers down my throat in a mature fashion. That Edward is jealous and went on a rampage because Angela and I are lesbian lovers, to which I say, yes, this is true; she also got me pregnant.

When I get home I run into Alice's room and tell her what happened. I ask her what it could all mean, why would Edward stick up for me like that? She answers with silence. Like always. Remembering something, I rummage through her jewelry box and pull out the sparkly pendant necklace, then lay on her bed to inspect it.

"What did you ever see in him, Alice? If he's anything like Edward – and all indicators point to this being a high possibility – then he is just a stupid boy. A stupid boy who does strange, strange things," I muse.

Putting the necklace down I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. I type out a message and put in a number I deleted long ago, but still, somehow, the numbers were branded on my brain. I hit send before nerves make me chicken out.

'Your message _Thank you _has been sent' flashes up on my screen.

I sigh, put the necklace back and walk to my room, closing the door behind me. I'm about to get my homework out of my bag when I feel my phone vibrate. I pull it out and stare at the text message symbol. I take a deep breath and open it.

'U R welcome. U shld wear a bigger shirt.'

I roll my eyes and reply instantly. 'Roger that, Dad!' I realise that he could take that the wrong way and yell at my phone to stop sending, but it's already gone.

_Fuck!_

'I meant dad as a joke, as in you are acting like my dad not the other way' I quickly send. I'm instantly pissed off at myself. Why should I care how he feels? If he takes something I say the wrong way, then that's his problem. My phone vibrates again.

'I got what u meant'

I stare at it until I realise that my cheeks are hurting from smiling. I curse at my stupid hormones and get stuck into my homework.

* * *

**Sweet Sassy malassy! The reviews have been phenomenal! You guys sure know how to make me smile! I hope you enjoy these chapters. Monday's is going to be long, and rather angsty, so wear your angst pants.**


	13. Chapter 12

**I have a rather nasty migraine and can't sleep so I apologise if the grammar is particularly terrible in this chapter. I hope ya'll have ya angst pants on and comfort food nearby. **

**Thanks again for all the love xx**

* * *

**To and Fro**

(6 weeks later)

My mind is a mess. Opening up to my mum hasn't helped. She says that she and dad will support me either way, but that the choice is ultimately mine. Of course she doesn't let the discussion pass without lecturing me about what I need to do in either case.

It sucks, because I was so sure of what I wanted, and then the baby had to be all 'oh hey!' and waving at me. On top of that, for about three weeks now, since week fifteen, I have been feeling small movements. At first I thought it was wind or butterflies until my mum pointed out that it was happening so often that it was most likely baby kicking or moving about. It's such a strange, but amazing feeling.

The adoption agency are understanding and explain that a lot of women change their mind and that's why they have the counselling sessions in the beginning and a period after baby is born to give the parents time to decide. They also remind me that I need to talk to Edward about either signing over his rights, or signing the papers when the time comes, should I go ahead with it.

I try my best to push my thoughts aside and concentrate on school. Which is hard to do when your baby's father is like some rogue superhero beating up people for looking at you sideways, yet acts as though he wants nothing to do with you to your face. Today is his first day back after being suspended for a week for breaking some guy's nose.

Of course he doesn't approach me, but he's only too happy to give me a nod from across the hall. I'm totally charmed by his acknowledgment of my existence.

The morning goes by like any other, but come lunch time I'm feeling a little queasy and I'm surprised because I haven't vomited in over a month. In fact I've been feeling really good. It's like my body is suddenly paying me back for all the horrible things it put me through in the first trimester. My hair's nice and shiny, my legs rarely need shaving and my nails are the girliest they've looked in years.

Half way through lunch I tell Angela that I need to go to the toilet and that I'll be back. I am thinking maybe it's just constipation, but, when nothing happens after five minutes, I go to pull my pants up when I see blood on them. Curious, I wipe and am mortified when it comes away red. I look in the bowl to see that it, too, is red. I am still freaking out when I hear the door to the toilets open and Angela call out my name.

"In here!" I answer.

"Oh, sorry I thought maybe something –"

"Ange," I interrupt, "do you have a pad?"

"Izzy?" I hear her bang on the door to my cubicle frantically. "Izzy, let me in!"

I grab a heap of toilet paper and put it in my pants, and then pull them up before opening the door. Angela bursts in and looks at me, before glancing at the toilet. She looks back at me, her face panic stricken. She shakes her head and opens her arms. I fall into them and sob into her neck.

"No, no, no. Oh, God, oh, Izzy, It's okay. Izzy, we'll get you help. Don't give up. Izzy, I'm here, it's okay."

"My baby," is all I can say. Over and over, I sob about my baby.

The world around me falls away. Nothing makes sense anymore. Everything is happening in slow motion, but then it's all a blur. Before I know it I'm sitting in an office. I can't hear what anyone is saying but I can see Mrs O'hare's face in front of mine and I watch her lips move. Soon another person's face is there and I don't recognise him but he's moving me and I allow him to lay me down. Lights and sirens are followed by bright lights and pale blue walls, and then finally the familiar face of Mr Cullen.

"Isabella, Esme is going to be here soon. I just need to put a cannula in your arm, okay?"

I nod and watch him put a needle in my hand. I can't feel it. I can't feel anything. He holds my hand when he's done sticking everything down, and looks at me, his face etched with concern.

"Hang in there, kiddo. We'll find out what's going on." He waits for me to answer, but I am too exhausted to talk. "Do you think you're feeling up to getting out of this gear? The nurse has put a gown and a sanitary pad on the chair for you." I nod and he pats my hand, before walking out and closing the curtain behind him.

I don't know how I manage it, but I get out of my uniform and into the gown, and then crawl back into the bed moments before I hear Dr Cullen asking if he can come in.

"okay," I call out.

The curtain is pulled open and I'm floored when he walks in with Edward in tow. Edward looks worried and I don't know how to react to his presence.

"Hey," he says awkwardly.

"Hey," I reply, just as awkwardly.

"Your mother's organising an urgent scan and a room for Isabella upstairs," Dr Cullen tells Edward before he looks down at me, "she shouldn't be long. I've got to go see another patient but just press the buzzer if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks."

"Edward," Dr Cullen pulls Edward aside and closes the curtain behind them. I'm too worn out to listen to them talk, but I can tell that Edward is getting his arse handed to him.

The next time the curtain opens it's Esme and Edward that enter.

"Hello, Izzy." She stands by my bed and pats my arm. "We're gonna take you up stairs okay?"

A man in navy blue scrubs walks in with a wheelchair and puts it by my bed.

"Do you think you can stand up and sit in the wheelchair?" Esme asks.

I pull the blanket off and swing my legs over the bed. I feel an arm around my waist and Edward's gruff voice "I've got you." I want to tell him I'm fine, but the truth is that I'm not. Vertigo has ripped the floor out from under me. I feel like my whole world is about to tip on its side. I feel like I did the first time I came into hospital and got an ultrasound. Only, now my life has a million more complications.

I sit in the wheelchair and let blue scrubs guy put my feet on the cold foot rest. He grabs the blanket and puts it on me, then we're off. Esme walks in front of us, blue scrubs pushes me, and Edward lags behind.

"I need to call my mum," I inform Esme once we're in the elevator.

"I already have, she's on her way."

We get off at the maternity ward and a nurse is waiting just outside the elevator.

"They're waiting for her," she tells Esme and Esme thanks her.

We turn around and she presses the button. "They're ready for you down at the imaging centre," she explains.

No words could possibly describe what I feel as we make our way to the ultrasound. My heart feels heavy and my body is tense with anxiousness. The imaging centre is big and imposing, and people stare at us as we make our way into a side access door. I'm wondering why we can't just use the one in Esme's office to do this.

We come to a stop at a door that has 'Ultrasound Room 4' stamped on it. Esme knocks and opens it. She greets the lady inside and I'm moved to the bed. My eyes fixate on the screen by the ultrasound lady's head. I automatically lift up my gown and wait anxiously as she squirts the gloop and puts the stick on my belly. I can see black and white shapes instantly and the baby's head comes into focus.

She scans down, then presses a button and the familiar waves of a heart rate comes up on screen. I sob in relief. She clicks a few more buttons and the sound of it echoes around the room.

"Holy shit."

I turn and see Edward staring at the screen, eyes wide. I didn't even realise he'd come into the room. He looks around at the people in the room and apologises.

"Esme," the ultrasound lady steals our attention back and I turn to see her pointing at the screen. Esme moves around to look at it closer and the lady adjusts the stick on my belly and clicks the screen. She's measuring something, but I can't make out what it is.

They talk among themselves and I hear all kinds of weird words that I don't understand.

"What is it," Edward speaks the words I want to say.

Esme looks to us. A sense of dread comes over me and I hold my breath.

"It's what we call a subchorionic hematoma. You have a clot inside that's causing the bleeding."

"You can fix it, though, right?" I turn and look at Edward. I don't know whether to slap him for talking too much, or thank him for saying the things I can't seem to get out of my mouth.

"Well, no, not really." I turn back to Esme. "But most of the time they do fix themselves. There is a small risk that this can cause more complications, but for now, it's just a matter of keeping an eye on you, and making sure you rest. Either until it's gone, or until baby comes."

"The baby?" I ask.

"The baby is perfectly healthy. Look," the sonographer interrupts. She points at the screen and I look up to see that the baby is sucking its thumb.

I feel all mushy inside.

"Do you want to know what you're having?" she asks.

I don't know why, but I look to Edward, he looks back at me and shrugs. He seems to be in a state of shock. I turn back to the sonographer and tell her yes. We watch as the baby wriggles and turns. It takes the lady a few goes but soon she has a toilet shot frozen on the screen. She points it out to Esme and lets her give us the news.

"It's a girl!" she says with glee. "A sweet baby girl."

We don't have much time to celebrate the fact before we are ushered out of the room so that another urgent case can come in. The whole trip back up to the maternity ward is spent in silence. I am wheeled into a sizeable room with a single bed made and ready for me. Sitting in the chair by the bed is my mother and she rushes up to me the instant we're in the door. I stand up and hug her.

"Oh, Izzy! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mum."

"And the baby?" She pulls away from me and looks around the room. I see her almost balk when she sees Edward behind me.

"Fine, the baby is fine," Esme assures her.

"It's a girl," I blurt out.

Mum's eyes widen and she smiles broadly. "Oh my goodness, a girl? We're having a girl?"

"I'm having a girl," I remind her.

"Of course, _you're_ having her, I just meant … Ah! A girl!" Mum steps past me and hugs Esme.

Edward and I look at them and then each other. Anyone would think that they were having a baby and not us.

Esme pulls out of the hug and her happy expression turns into a stern one. "You, into bed, and stay there. We need to keep you as rested as possible. We'll keep you in overnight for observation and then weekly check-ups so that we can keep an eye on this thing."

"Wait, what's going on? What's wrong? I thought you said they were both fine?" Mum asks, sounding panicked again.

While I climb into the bed, Esme explains the problem to my mum. Once she's happy that I'm settled in and mum is calm she excuses herself and says she has to get back to her other patients, but that she'll be back later. I thank her and she looks at Edward with a raised brow before leaving the room.

Edward stands awkwardly by the door and looks at me. "I'm glad you're both okay. I'll, um, your mum's here now, so I'll just … go."

He turns to exit and I feel a little bad, because it's obvious that he's not sure where he fits in in my life. Hell I'm not even sure where he fits in.

"Edward?" I call out before he's completely out the door.

"Yeah?" He stops and turns slightly to look at me.

"Thank you. For today. You really helped me and … thank you."

"Anytime." He smiles, before leaving me alone with my curious mother.


	14. Chapter 13

**Lucky number 13? Another long one (well for this story anywho). **

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**Looking**** In**

My mother wastes no time questioning me about what happened and why Edward was here. I tell her I have no idea, but fill her in on the past hour of my life.

"Well, I'm glad both Edward and Angela were there for you." Is all she says.

I find it strange that she's not once said a bad word about Edward despite all he's said and done to me, but I don't have a chance to question why, because my father has just walked in the door.

He is a whole six foot of stress and worry.

"I'm fine, Dad, I'm fine!" I reassure him as he hugs me.

He kisses mum on the top of her head and sits next to her. My mother fills him in on what the doctor said and I watch his shoulders relax a little as the news sets in.

"Oh, and she found out what sex the baby is," Mum finishes.

"You did?" He looks to me and I'm surprised to see a hint of excitement in his voice.

I nod and smile at him. "It's a girl."

"A girl. Wow." He contemplates the news for a while and then changes the subject. "So, when can you get out of here?"

"Tomorrow," I reply glumly. I'm really not looking forward to sleeping on this horrible stiff hospital bed. It's hard enough trying to get comfortable in my own bed.

My parents stick around for a while and then leave together to get me some clothes and my toiletries. It's during this time that I get a text from Angela.

_Edward told me what's going on. I'm so glad that you and your baby girl are okay. How are you feeling?_

This is one thing I love about Angela, she doesn't use text speak in her text messages. I can never understand most of it and I'd much rather read a sentence than a jumble of letters.

_Bored. Hospital sucks. How's school?_

_School is different. Will explain when I see you x _

The urge to pee is much too strong for me to text back what could have possibly changed in the last three classes. When I've finished and go to wipe, there is more blood. Panic sets in and freezes my heart. I take two deep breaths to try and relax my thoughts before hitting the red nurse button.

I am put back to bed, and then on a machine that wraps around my belly. The sound of baby's heart rate fills the room. The nurse gets me a glass of juice, a day old sandwich and makes sure the T.V remote and nurse call button are within reach, before leaving me to fester in the chaos of my own mind.

I have been listening to the galloping of my baby's heart for about ten minutes when my parents walk back in. My mum is now out of her old lady slacks that she wears to work and has swapped them for jeans. My dad is no longer in his police uniform and has opted for shorts and a tee. They both look pretty worried to see me laid up this way.

"I had another bleed, so they're just monitoring the baby," I explain as calmly as possible.

"Oh, Izzy!" Mum rushes to my bedside and kisses my forehead.

I tell her it's fine and look past her to dad. Dad is frozen in place and is staring at my rounded belly. I'm guessing it's the first time he's seen it. I have been wearing rather loose clothing the last month or so, and, while I'm not large, I definitely look pregnant now.

A knock at the door startles him and he turns to see both doctor Cullens at the door. He shakes Mr Cullens hand and they both hug my mother before turning to me.

"How you feeling?" Esme asks.

I shrug, and consider just giving her an okay, but decide to be honest. "Scared and overwhelmed."

"It's a scary thing, bleeding during pregnancy, but I promise you, we are going to do everything possible to keep baby in there. I've seen this before and, more often than not, the clot goes away on its own," she reassures me.

"I heard it's a baby girl!" Carlisle tries changing the subject to a more upbeat one.

I can't help but smile. "Yep! She's not even here and she's already causing trouble. I hope she's better behaved when she's out. Well, hopefully she's nothing like her mother, at least," I try to joke.

"I hope she's everything like her mother," Esme replies.

"Me, too," Carlisle agrees.

I feel all gooey inside from their compliments and spend the next twenty minutes trying to think of my good attributes, while the adults talk among themselves. By the time the Cullen's have left I'm feeling pretty chuffed with my list of pros. I guess I am a pretty good person, despite this one mistake.

Come dinner time mum and dad take one look at my slop on a plate and then take off to get their own tea. Mum says she's organised the day off work tomorrow and will stop by first thing in the morning. I'm left to eat my Chum on my own.

It's only about seven PM, but I am just getting comfortable and thinking I might be able to get some sleep tonight, when I hear a text come through on my phone.

_Mum told me what happened. Is there anything I can do? _

I curse at the way my heart skips a beat whenever I see his name.

_Let me sleep? _I joke. Hoping that he takes it as such and being slightly too tired to care if he doesn't. Then I think of something else. _I'd maim for a cheeseburger._

Five minutes later there is no reply.

Ten minutes later I think stuff it, I'm just going to go to sleep, and I turn out the light.

Fifteen minutes later I hear my door open and close. I roll over to see a hulking shadow near my bed. I switch the night light on to see Edward standing with a McDonald's bag, drinks, and a sheepish grin.

"I hope you like coke?" he says before holding out the bag to me.

I sit up in a shot and snatch it from him. I open the bag and see a Big Mac on top. I pull it out in disgust.

"That's mine," he snatches it from me and I dig back into the bag.

A big yummy triple cheeseburger with bacon remains, with two large fries. I could kiss him. Instead, I unwrap my burger and I'm just about to wolf it down when I see him plucking the pickles out of his big mac. I open the top of my burger and offer him a safe haven for those delicious morsels. He smiles up at me and shakes his head in amusement. Once he's placed them in, I grip my burger and hoe into it like I haven't eaten in weeks.

Nothing is said while we eat. I eat the whole burger, all of my fries, and half of his, before sucking down half of my coke. Once all the rubbish is put away, I collapse back into my partially raised bed, and sigh.

"That was amazing," I declare. "How did you know I wanted bacon?" I add.

"Who doesn't like bacon?" he replies.

It's true. Bacon is quite possibly the most amazing food ever created.

"How did you get in here?" I ask, to prevent an awkward silence from setting in.

"There's this thing they have nowadays called doors."

I look across at him to see him smiling and I smile back begrudgingly. "Smart ass."

He shrugs. "No one was around so I just walked in as quietly as I could."

Silence envelopes us once again and I try to find something else to rest my eyes on so I don't look like I'm staring at him. I settle on the door handle.

"I don't think I've ever seen a girl eat like that before," he chuckles.

"Yeah, well, you didn't see the Chum I got served earlier. Besides, I am eating for two you know." I roll onto my back and rub my belly.

His smile falls from his face. "I never realised, until today, just how, um, big, errr … round you are," he reveals.

"You're not the only one. My dad freaked out today, too." I chuckle at the memory.

I suddenly feel really tired and I let my eyes close for a second.

"I'll go and let you get some sleep."

"Thanks for the cheeseburger," I say with my eyes still closed.

"It was nothing," he mentions.

I hear him get up from the chair, but I can't let him go, not without asking what I've been thinking all day.

"Edward?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why did you come today? I thought you didn't want anything to do with … all of this?" I open my eyes to garner his reaction.

He looks right into me, and there's a hard edge to his tone as he speaks. "I never said that."

"You told me to get rid of it. Of her." I'm feeling irritated at his sudden anger.

"I was scared, Bella. I'm still scared. You've never given me a chance to be anything other than on the outside looking in. You shut me out from the very beginning."

"That's not true. I asked if you wanted to come to the adoption agency," I point out.

"Yeah, but what you didn't ask me, is if I _wanted_ to adopt out our baby. _We_ made a baby, you and me. It should have been _our_ decision. You barely gave me a chance to get used to the idea before you were telling me what you had decided." He catches himself and takes a deep breath. I can see that he's trying to reign in his temper and stop himself from going on a rampage of sorts. "That day, after you told me that you wanted to adopt her out, I tried to tell you that I didn't mean what I'd said earlier, that I just needed a little bit more time, but you were so determined to shut me out. I'm not the only person in the wrong here. It's time you start taking some of the blame."

With that, he turns and walks out the door.

I mentally pull out my pros column and underline a new one next to it. _Cons_. After a few minutes of consternation, I decide I need help. I pick up my phone and make a call. It rings for ages and I am just about to hang up before it goes to voicemail, when I hear it pick up.

"Hello," he sounds defeated.

"Hey, um, so I've got this list that I've been working on and I was hoping I could get your help?" I ask tentatively.

There's a pause and I think he's hung up, but when I look at my phone it says it's still connected.

"What kind of list?" I hear eventually.

"Uh, it's called the pros and cons of Isabella Swan, and I figured that you'd be rather pro at helping me with the cons side of things."

I can hear a smile in his voice. "Are you sure you have enough pages in front of you?"

"Probably not, but I could always write them on my arm if I run out of space."

Another pause follows and I almost forgot what we were talking about when he finally speaks and brings me back to the subject at hand.

"Stubborn."

"Stubborn," I repeat, as if I'm writing it down.

"Scary."

"Scary?"

"Yeah, you're scary. I wouldn't want to get into a debate with you … well, anymore debates with you, because, well, you can be scary."

"Um, okay. Scary."

"Aloof."

"Aloof?"

"Are you going to question me all night or are you going to write these down?"

"Writing it down. Aloof." I can't help but giggle at this description of me. My parents call me ditzy, but I prefer Edward's description of aloof.

"Blunt. Which is part of why you're scary."

"Okay, got it, blunt."

"Self-centred."

"Ouch."

He's silent.

"But true, carry on," I encourage him.

"Beautiful, smart, kind, brave and confident. They should all go in the pros column. Just in case you needed help with that one, too."

I smile into the phone and kick my legs under the blanket to express my giddiness as silently as possible.

"Thanks." I don't know what else to say.

"Anytime. Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight. Oh, Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you call me Bella? The only person that called me Bella was –"

"Alice? Yeah, I know, but that's a discussion for another time."

"Okay. And Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think I can do it, the adoption I mean."

"Bella?" He whispers my name and it makes my heart lurch.

"Yeah?" I whisper back.

"Can we talk about this another time, too? Like really sit down and talk about it, just you and me?"

"Okay," I reply.

"Sweet dreams, Bella."

"Sweet dreams, Edward."

I hear the click ending the conversation and I hold my phone to my chest as I slowly drift off to sleep.

* * *

**I was going to finish this off without the phone conversation and make it drag out a bit longer, but I think this all needed to come out now. **

**Loving hearing readers thoughts on this story. Thanks for the amazing reviews and faves and alerts etc. They all make me type like a mad woman. **


	15. Chapter 14

**There were a lot of fired up reviews in the last chapter. I love it. Hopefully this answers some peoples questions, but there's still Edwards POV outtakes to come that will explain it in more detail. **

* * *

**Returning the Favour**

Although I've been let out of my hospital cell … errr … room, I'm still a prisoner in my own home. My parents have banished me to my room where I am to rest all day and all weekend. Monday can't come fast enough.

I manage to curb my boredom with some very exciting science and math homework, and text messages from Angela are my saving grace. We make a plan for her to visit me at home tomorrow. I'd much rather get out of the house – and go where, I don't know – but there's no way that's happening.

My night ends with some repeats of Modern Family and a bowl of cheezles, before I finally shower and get into my pyjamas. I check my phone for new messages from Angela, but see nothing, so I turn my lamp off and roll over. Seconds later my phone vibrates. It's a message from Edward.

_U awake?_

I reply with 'yes' and my phone rings almost instantly, giving me a fright.

"Hello?" I pick up.

"So I need your help." His voice is gruff and slightly muffled, it sounds like he too is lying in bed.

I roll over and snuggle into my pillow. "Mmmm?"

"You see, I'm making a list …"

"Oh yeah? What kind of list?" I smile into the phone.

"It's called the pros and cons of Edward Cullen," he replies.

"Hmmm, I think I've heard of a list like this before."

"No. No, you can't have, because this is a very unique and one of a kind list," he assures me.

I laugh. "Okay, I'll take your word for it. How can I help you with this list?"

"I was thinking that maybe you could help me fill out the cons. Just to be safe, I have well over a hundred lined pages in front of me."

"Well, that's forward thinking."

"Yes, I thought so, too. I should put that in the pros … forward thinking. Okay, done. Now give me some cons."

I suddenly feel nervous, but don't hold back.

"Selfish."

"Oooh, yeah, good one."

"Arrogant."

"Mmhmm," he agrees.

"Egotistic."

"Oooh."

His sound effects make me smile and I find it hard to really tell him his bad traits, until I remember our first discussion about the baby and his suggestion to make this all go away.

"Asshole."

"Ooooh I'm not sure name calling is allowed," he says rather casually.

"Hateful. Sleazy. Spiteful. Immoral."

"Please, don't hold back," he jokes, but I'm no longer in a light-hearted mood, so I continue on.

"Mean. Annoying –"

"Okay, I get it, I'm an asshole," he interrupts.

I stop and try to suppress my anger. A long silence follows and I wonder if he's hung up, but then I hear him breathing, so I stay on the line.

"What's on your mind?" he finally asks.

"That first day, in the music room …" I falter.

"Shit." He breathes heavily down the line a few times before continuing. "That was really shitty of me. I just need you to understand that I was really freaked out. It was my second time and I got a girl pregnant. And not just any girl, I got you, Isabella Swan, pregnant."

"Right, coz that makes me feel better," I scoff.

He's instantly annoyed.

"You know, you always think the worst of people. Always. You never give them a chance to explain themselves," he almost shouts, before stopping himself and taking a deep breath. "Bella, I meant you as in the girl I admired from afar for years, the sister of my best friend's girlfriend, the girl whose father just happens to own a gun and would probably know how to shoot me and make it look like an accident. I had never been so scared in my entire life." He breathes a sigh of relief, as if he'd been holding that in for a while. "And to be honest, I was a little angry at you for not telling me straight away," he adds.

"Why would I tell you? You were so ashamed of me that you'd already denied sleeping with me."

"No. No, Bella, you have that all wrong. In hindsight, what I said was probably really stupid, but I said that because I didn't want people to think of you as that girl. That kind of girl that goes to parties and sleeps with people. I thought that by telling people that it never happened, that they'd just leave you alone and move onto the next stupid high school drama to come along."

"And then it came out that I am That Girl," I reply.

There's a lull in the conversation, as though he's thinking of the right words to say.

"You know what I've always liked about you?"

"What?" I ask half-heartedly.

"That you don't give a shit. You've never been one to keep up with trends, or discuss other people, or give in to peer pressure. You've always just been this unattainable enigma to me and I'm really fucking ashamed of how I treated you after that night. You know I really wanted to call you, but I was just too chicken shit. Then when everyone started talking about us, I got to thinking that maybe chasing you was a stupid idea. You didn't seem like the kind of girl that dates and I knew you avoided drama like the plague, so I did what I could to keep you out of it, I acted like you didn't exist ... and then when I found out about the baby, but having to hear it through the barbie dolls at school –"

"Brittanys," I interrupt.

"Huh?"

"I call them the Brittanys. Sorry, never mind. You were saying," I blurt.

"When I heard through the … the Brittanys that you might be pregnant, my whole world just turned on its head," he finishes.

"Yeah, it was a pretty scary day for me when I found out, too … listen, I'm sorry you had to find out that way." I never thought of it that way. He was right, I always assume the worst about people. I mentally put it in my cons list.

"I'm sorry for being a selfish, arrogant, egotistic, hateful, sleazy … sleazy? Really? Um, spiteful, immoral, mean and annoying asshole."

"Did you really write all those down?" I ask, laughing.

"Of course I did, didn't you write down yours?"

"Nope." I smile.

"Cheat," he laughs.

"I didn't have any pen and paper! And I still don't, so maybe you could write them down for me and give them to me on Monday?" I ask slyly.

He chuckles down the line. "Feels like you're asking me to do your homework."

"Well … while you're there," I joke.

"Now you're dreaming," he laughs.

It's silent, but for the noises of him moving about and I'm about to ask him more questions, but instead a yawn escapes as soon as I open my mouth.

"I'll let you get some sleep," he murmurs.

"I'm sorry, I get tired so easily lately," I explain.

"Well, you are growing a human being."

"So true," I agree with a smile.

"Goodnight, Bella." The way he says my name makes my heart skip a beat.

"Goodnight, Edward," I reply.

I click the end button and am asleep the moment my eyes close.


	16. Chapter 15

**Visitors**

I wake up in such a good mood that I make pancakes for everyone and clean the kitchen afterwards, but that's where my activities end. Mum thanks me for my efforts, and then promptly tells me that I need to sit and rest.

Angela arrives just after lunch and I'm thankful for the interruption to my mundane existence. That is until I see the homework she has for me.

"I hope you don't mind, but I went around to your teachers yesterday and asked if there was anything you needed over the weekend."

"No, I don't mind at all," I reply sarcastically. "This is exactly how I imagined spending my weekend."

She laughs. "I know you would have been more mad if you had to ask for extensions and been inundated with more work in coming weeks."

"True." I give in and grab the paperwork off her, place it on my study desk, and sit down heavily on my bed.

Angela sits in the chair by my desk and starts spinning around in it.

"So you said something about school changing?" I ask, curious.

She stops suddenly and leans toward me. "Yes! Oh my God!" She gets up and sits in the middle of my bed and crosses her legs. "Well, first off, when I told Edward about what happened he ran out of his class, like, so fast!.. You don't mind do you?" she asks, thinking for a minute that she might have done wrong. "You aren't mad at me for telling Edward what happened?" I assure her that I'm not, and she continues at almost chipmunk speed.

"Anyway, it was like any other day, well, except for the bleeding and you in hospital and all that, until after my class when I'm walking to my next class and Jasper comes up to me and asks what happened. He's super freaked out and calls Edward, but it goes to voicemail. Anyway, he walks me to class and then after that class I bump into him again and he grabs me by the hand and pulls me into one of the empty English block rooms. He explains that he's on the phone to Edward and puts Edward on speaker and tells Edward to repeat what he just said. So he tells us that you're okay and then tells us that it's a girl. He sounded so relieved and like, almost excited. Oh my God, Izzy, it was super cute."

I am looking at her like she's lost her mind, because this is not Angela in front of me. It is some kind of super girly clone.

"Anyway, so Jasper like hugs me in excitement and lifts me off the ground, and then, well, and then he kissed me."

_Oh I see, this is giddy Angela_.

"He kissed you?" I balk.

"Yep. He apologised after, and put me down. He kind of looked embarrassed, but then yesterday he was super nice to me and he and Edward asked me to sit with them during lunch and it was so strange because they weren't sitting where they normally sit and there was only like five or six of them sitting there."

She's flushed and out of breath. I wait for her to catch it and then she surprises me when she speaks again, but at a normal pace.

"Edward is different to how I imagined him. So is Jasper. You know I always thought they were kinda mean, because they are part of that whole popular group and stuff. But they were so nice to me. They talked about you and the baby and they weren't being disrespectful, like I thought they would be."

"What did they say about me and the baby?" I ask.

"Oh, Edward was telling Jasper what his mum said. You know, about you needing to rest lots and that you need weekly check-ups. He also said he wants to go to more scans if you'll let him, because seeing the baby was kinda cool."

I nod and contemplate her words. I don't know if I should be feeling this way, but I feel kind of excited that Edward is on board, but I know we still have a lot to discuss, like can we really give our baby the best life possible, or is she better off with two people that know who they are and where they're going in life. People that can offer her a more stable environment.

"Jasper is sooo nice …" she peters off and slips into a daze.

I click my fingers in her face. "Earth to Angela!"

"Mmhmm?"

"You are crushing on Jasper Hale!" I point out.

She lays on my bed and sighs. "I've got it bad, Izzy!"

I laugh and lay down next to her. "You and me, both."

She turns her head to me in a shot. "You're still crushing on Edward? I knew it!"

"Yeah, well, there's more to us than a high school crush; there's this." I point down to my belly. "If I had Facebook my relationship status would be 'super complicated.'"

"Have you guys talked about what you're going to do? You know, with the adoption and all?"

I sigh heavily and look at my ceiling. "Not yet. It's strange. We've talked for a while these past couple of nights, but we seem to just be going over other things instead."

"Like what?" Angela props herself up onto her elbow and turns to me.

I glance sideways at her. "Mostly how we've gotten to this point. We each made a pros and cons list about each other and it was kind of a relief to tell him he's an asshole without him walking out on me or hanging up on me. It's been very civil. It's been nice."

"You had a civil conversation about how he's an asshole?" she questions unbelievably.

"And how I'm self-centred," I add.

"I wouldn't say you're self-centred. Maybe –"

"Aloof?"

She seems to think about it for a moment and then continues. "Well, I was going to say distant, but I guess aloof is another way of saying it."

"Distant? Really?"

"Well, I've known you for over three years and we've barely talked, until recently, obviously. Up until now, you've been pretty good at shutting the rest of the world out. At first I just thought it was because of Alice, you know, but then it became apparent that that's just who you are. You don't like to get involved with people socially, and I don't think anyone could blame you for that, especially at our school."

I look back at my ceiling to reflect on Angela's words and match them up with those on my cons list, courtesy of Edward, and comments my parents have been making over the past couple of years.

"It's funny, you know, all this time I thought the world had no place for me, when I was the one holding the world at arm's length. Then I stupidly decide one day to finally do something out of the ordinary and now the world has put me in a spin," I muse.

"Well, that spin has given you the most amazing friend ever," Angela teases.

I look to her and smile. "So true," I agree.

We spend the next couple of hours talking about the latest gossip at school and listening to music, before Angela tells me she needs to get home. I say goodbye to her and then get stuck into my homework.

After dinner I make my way back to my room and finish off my English assignment before deciding to get ready for bed. I am showered and snuggled up in my bed with my iPod on and reading a book when I hear my phone vibrate. A text message from Edward pops up on screen and my curiosity is peaked instantly.

_Look out your window._

I open my curtains and jump back in fright. There, sitting high up in the tree just outside my window is a sheepish grin belonging to one Edward Cullen. I open my window and stick my head out.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I whisper harshly.

He looks at me like I've lost my mind. "What's it look like? I'm climbing into your window!"

"And how are you going to do that?" I ask adamantly. There's at least a metre gap between the tree and my window.

"Stand back," he orders.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"Stand back!" He moves his hands, motioning me to move.

I stand to the side and close my eyes tightly, waiting to hear the thump of his body as it hits the ground. It's not just a thump I hear though, it's a loud grunt followed by a swear word. I open my eyes and see he is half in and half out the window. He's looking at me with a grimace and he scrambles until his whole body falls, with a thud, onto my bedroom floor.

"Wow, that was a lot harder than it looked," he says as he gets up and readjusts his clothing.

"Have you lost your mind?" I ask in disbelief. He shrugs in reply and I shake my head at him. "Why didn't you just knock on the front door?"

"It's late, I didn't want to get you in trouble," he explains as though this should be common knowledge.

I put my hand on my belly. "I hardly think I could possibly get into any more trouble," I point out.

He nods in agreement. "This is true." He looks around my room until his eyes land on my iPod dock. "What you playing?" he asks and walks up to take a look at it.

"Music," I reply offhandedly and pull his hand away from the buttons. "What are you – have you been drinking?" I get a whiff of beer and take a step back.

He throws himself onto my bed and looks up at my ceiling.

"A little."

I don't know what to say or what to feel, but 'you're and idiot' and angry are at the top of the list.

"I wanted to talk to you face to face, but I don't want to be angry, because you always have this knack for making me angry, you know? I don't like being angry, Bella," he rambles.

I sit next to him gingerly and he grabs my arm and pulls gently, pulling me down next to him. I keep my arms at my side and look at my ceiling.

"So you drank so you wouldn't be angry?"

"Yeah, I did. But not much. I'm not drunk. I promise. Tipsy, perhaps, but not drunk."

"Okay," I say cautiously.

"You think I'm stupid," he states.

"A little bit," I admit.

He laughs and turns his head toward me, I look at him in return.

"Blunt. You should move that over to the pros column," he smiles, before looking back at the ceiling.

"So are we talking?" I ask.

"You first."

I sigh and decide that if he wants to be stupid and jump through windows drunk then I'll take every opportunity to make him wish he hadn't. Time for some hard questions. First, though, there was one that had been on my mind for months.

"Why do you call me Bella?"

There's a moment of contemplation before he speaks. "Alice was cool. Seriously, she was one of the coolest girls I've ever met. When she and Jasper first started dating we were out one night, her, Jasper, me, and a few other people. I mentioned to her that I thought you were cute and she said to me "keep on dreaming, Edward, my Bella's much too smart to fall for your charms.""

He chuckles and continues. "Every time she spoke of you she'd call you Bella or 'my Bella' and I loved the way it sounded. It suits you."

I can almost see and hear her saying this to him and it makes my heart ache. "I miss her," I whisper, before hot tears spill over.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry."

I look over to see Edward has propped himself up and is looking down at me. I shake my head, but I'm too choked up to speak. He slips an arm under me and folds me into him. My head rests in the crevice of his arm and torso, one hand rests on my arm, while the other holds my hand to his chest. He rubs my arm now and then, but otherwise holds me silently while I cry. The warmth of his arm around me, and the beating of his heart under my palm is enough to lull me to sleep, but not before I feel him kiss the top of my head, leaving his lips there for a few moments, before laying his head back down with a sigh.

* * *

**I'm trying really hard to not let this story drag on, but these two keep coming up with ideas in my head (like jumping through windows drunk). I'm thinking they need to get to know each other before they answer the tough questions. Plus Bella's pregnancy hormones are sure to get in the way of progress now and then, not to mention Edward's 17yo mindset on how the world works. **

**Anywho, thanks for reading. The beautiful reviews you guys send are like super fuel. My hands fly over the keyboard because of you, so truly, thank you for being such kind people x **


	17. Chapter 16

**The Return of Me**

My head is groggy and hurting before I even open my eyes. Images of last night flash behind my lids, and they open in an instant. I'm not where I was last night when I fell asleep. Although I'm still in bed, my head is now on my pillow and my covers are over me. There's no Edward to be seen.

I reach to my bedside table and grab my phone.

_Sorry about last night. My hormones rule me. _I text.

I roll out of bed and make my way to Alice's room. Curling up on her bed, I hug her pillow to me.

"Well, you were wrong," I talk to her empty room, "I _have_ fallen for Edward's charm."

I sit up and crawl across the bed to her jewellery box and get out the gold necklace,. I stand up and walk to her window to look at the necklace under the sunlight.

"I can't believe you dated Jasper and I didn't even know. Where has my head been all these years? Did I shut you out too?"

I look out the window and watch as old man Jimmy across the road drags his rubbish bin out to the kerb.

"So, Angela is sweet on Jasper." I pause and look back down at the necklace in my hands. "Should I be upset at her? Were you guys really serious? I mean, I don't think her father will allow her to date, but I should probably be pissed that she likes my sister's ex yeah? You know, sisters before misters and all that." I can almost hear her laugh at me and I can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of what I just said. I know Alice well enough to know that no matter what they were, or how they ended, she would want Jasper to be happy.

"Yeah, you're right. He should be allowed to move on with whoever he wants."

I put her necklace back and head for the bathroom.

The rest of Sunday is spent doing homework and reading.

When Monday comes, I am almost bursting with excitement to be going to school, then I promptly slap myself mentally for thinking such things. But school has got to be better than being cooped up in here.

I'm surprised to see Angela waiting for me the moment I get out of the car.

"Hey!" she says, much too brightly for a Monday morning.

I look at her sceptically. "Uh, hello."

"What?" she says, trying her best to look innocent.

"You don't drink coffee, so I'm wondering how it's possible that you can be this chipper on a Monday morning?"

"Oh, it's just – never mind," she says quickly and I'm about to question her further when I look up to see Jasper and Edward approaching with their entourage.

"Hey, Little Mumma," Jasper greets. "Angelic Angela," he looks to Angela and smiles. Angela turns an alarming shade of beetroot.

I'm about to tell him off for my nickname when Edward holds his hand out. "I'll take that."

"What?" I look at him in confusion.

"Your bag."

"Errr I can carry my own bag, thanks."

"You're meant to be taking it easy, remember?"

"Thanks, _Mum_, but I'm sure carrying my bag isn't going to jeopardise my health." He raises his eyebrows at me and I promise him that it's fine, I want to carry my own bag.

He looks to Jasper and shrugs.

We all walk to the English block and the group starts to disperse as they each go to their lockers or classrooms. Angela is walked to her class by Jasper and I find myself standing with Edward at his locker across from my homeroom. He opens it, grabs out some books, closes it and looks down at me.

"You sure you're okay?" he asks with genuine concern.

"I'm fine, I promise," I assure him. "The other night … sorry about that. I just –"

"Hormones," he finishes for me, with a dimpled smile.

I chuckle and nod.

"I got the text," he explains, as he leans against his locker.

"Hey? How'd you get out? You didn't climb back down the tree did you?"

He laughs. "No, your parents were asleep so I snuck out the front door."

"Ah, good, because that would have been … weird."

"You didn't think it rather Romeo-esque of me to climb up to your window?" he asks with a smirk.

"Hmmm, Romeo, no. Drunken stalker-ish, perhaps," I joke.

"Hey! I wasn't drunk!" he points out.

"Hmmm, but you don't deny stalking me," I clarify as I slowly edge my way across the hall to homeroom.

He smiles and shakes his head in amusement. We hold each other's gaze as I walk backwards toward my class. Then I turn and walk to the only spare seat available.

Homeroom is barely fifteen minutes long. We're simply ticked off the roster and then left to our own devices until the bell rings. If there's school news we need to know then that's shared as well, but nothing ever happens here. I sit and listen to the Brittany's behind me as they gossip about their weekends.

I zone out until I hear Edward's name.

"Stupid … abort it in the toilets … he didn't call me back …" I only get snippets of their conversation and I decide to ignore it.

Angela resumes her friend duties by walking me to every class, but I tell her not to worry about her strange ritual come third period because our classes are at opposite ends of the school. I am just about at the door to my health class when someone bumps me from behind. They hit me so hard, that I stumble and land on my knees.

I look up to see one of the Brittanys with a smirk on her face. "Sorry, I didn't see you there." She's a terrible actor.

I get up and collect my bag. I look her in the eyes and take a step toward her. "Did the bleach seep into your brain and fry your occipital lobe?"

"My what? No! God, you're so stupid," she retorts.

"Yes, I'm the stupid one here." I shake my head in amusement and continue on to my class.

The lunch bell rings out and I'm barely out the door of my class when I feel someone grab me by the arm and pull me to the side.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Edward asks beseechingly.

I roll my eyes at him. "God, I'd forgotten how fast news travels around here."

"I heard you got into a fight. What the hell?"

"Yes, Edward, I kicked the bitch's head in with my newfound pregnant karate skills. You should have been there. I was awesome," I reply offhandedly. He doesn't look impressed. I huff out in frustration. "It was nothing, she bumped into me and I just told her to open her eyes next time, that's all."

I realise that his hands are still clasped gently around my forearms and I look down at them. He notices, too, then and lets go. We walk to lunch and I'm surprised to find Angela already there with Jasper and a few of the other guys.

Edward introduces me to his group of friends, most of whom I know names of, but I don't know them personally. Of course they know my name too, but it's nice of him to introduce us formally. Most of them are year twelve seniors like Edward but I recognise one of them from a couple of my classes, so I assume he's in my level.

I take a seat next to Angela and Edward squeezes in next to me.

"So, I heard you got into a fight," the boy in my grade, Eric, pipes up.

"Eh, it was nothing," I shrug and hope they move on to another topic of discussion.

"She is such a bitch, she's lucky I wasn't there," Angela proclaims angrily.

I look at her with raised brows. This is a side to Angela I haven't seen before.

"What? She is," she affirms, before shoving her sandwich in her mouth.

I smile, amused, and then start to eat my own lunch.

"She's lucky I wasn't there," Edward joins in.

I roll my eyes and growl in frustration. "I _can_ look after myself! She's just a Brittany. I'm not scared of her. Besides, it's done now. Nothing happened."

"You know they're saying that you tried to abort the baby in the toilets?" Angela states furiously.

I cringe. I had a feeling that's what they were talking about in class earlier. I look around and notice that everyone has stopped eating and they're now watching me, waiting for my reaction.

"Can we please change the subject?"

They all go back to eating and the subject is changed instantly … to football. I zone out, until I feel Edwards hand on my leg. He squeezes my thigh gently. I look over to him and see him looking at me, his eyes swimming with empathy. He mouths 'you okay?' and I nod. After giving me a disbelieving tight smile, he takes his hand away and jumps back into the conversation.

The heat of skin on skin disappears, and I instantly miss his touch.

* * *

**AN: I did plan to post this sooner but I literally just finished writing it now, so it's likely full of mistakes. I apologise.**

**I have an 18 month old that seems to have mistaken himself for a pair of my pants, constantly attaching himself to my leg, plus I'm trying to pack as we're moving house. One could say I've bitten off more than I can chew, but I say what's life if not lived on the edge. **

**The story will probably skip ahead a little again after this chapter. **

**Thank you to all the kind readers who have reviewed with such amazing compliments and inspiring messages to keep going. **

**Okay, I'm going now ... see you in the next chappy, or the review box :) **


	18. Chapter 17

**How You Remind Me**

For the rest of the week it feels like wherever I turn, there's a Brittany. Thankfully, I'm not accidentally pushed over again, but in every class I hear snide remarks and down every hall there's always one giving me a dirty look or whispering to a fellow Brittany. There's new rumours, too. Really horrible ones; like that I only got pregnant to go on teen mum and when I wasn't accepted I tried to abort the baby in the toilets.

By the end of the week it's become apparent that the Brittanys are actively singling me out. I tell myself to ignore them. I tell myself that it doesn't bother me. This is almost true, but today, they broke down my walls, and with a childish note at that.

After school Edward and I went to my appointment where we found out that the clot is still there. It hasn't shrunk, but it hasn't grown either and they're still really worried about it causing problems, but Esme has a way of putting a positive spin on things and I walk out with a sense of hope that everything will be okay. Edward seems lost inside his mind as he drives me home, but I'm not up for talking so I don't really care.

Once home, I have dinner, shower, and then head up to my room to do my homework. When I pull my books out of my bag, a piece of folded up paper falls to the ground. I pick it up and open it.

_Kill yourself you attention seeking whore_

It's all too much for me to take. I can't keep it all inside anymore and I throw myself onto my bed and cry. I cry until I fall asleep.

Saturday I wake up to missed calls from both Edward and Angela. I turn my phone off and spend the whole weekend locked in my room, catching up on homework and reading. I also look up hematoma and read some positive stories from other mums who've had it. It helps put my mind at ease.

Monday morning I'm surprised to see no Angela waiting for me and I remember that she tried calling me on the weekend, but I haven't turned my phone back on to check my voicemail.

I'm looking down at my phone's start up screen when I feel someone approach me.

"Where have you been? I've been trying to call you all weekend."

I look up at Edward and fake a smile. Something I've gotten pretty good at this past week.

"Oh, hey! Um, I turned my phone off so I could catch up on my homework without any distractions."

"But I'm an awesome distraction," he jokes.

"Sure you are," I tease.

I ask him where Angela is and he tells me she's sick, which is confirmed when I read one of the six messages on my phone.

Although Angela's not here, someone always walks me from one class to the next. If it's not Edward or Jasper, it's Eric. The one place they can't accompany me to is the ladies toilets, and that's where I am when a piece of paper is tossed over the cubicle and lands at my feet.

I try to resist reading it, but curiosity is a killer and all that…

_He doesn't even like you he just feels sorry for you because you are pathetic_

I blink back tears and race out of there as quickly as I can.

Lunch is spent with the group as usual, but Edward notices that I'm a little distant and brings it up. I assure him I'm just stressed about the upcoming exams and assignments that are due. He's sceptical, but he lets it slide.

Tuesday Angela is still sick. Edward questions me about dodging his calls last night and I use my homework excuse again. He's not falling for it, but I'm saved by the bell and tell him I have to get to class.

Eric is in my first three classes of the day and we silently walk between classes together. Which is new for him because the guy has a motor mouth. After my fourth class, the lunch bell rings. I'm barely out the door when I see Edward reach through the crowd and pull me toward him. He looks pissed.

"What's wrong?" I ask, as he drags me along with him silently.

"Follow me, we need to talk," is all he says, before letting go of my hand and walking ahead of me.

I follow him to the music block, wondering what I've done wrong. Once we're inside he turns and steps toward me.

"You're doing it again," he states harshly.

"What?"

"Shutting me out." He's fired up, fists clenched and jaw tight.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit!" he yells, making me jump. He thrusts his hands through his hair and looks at me, challenging me. "Do you think I don't hear things, Bella? Do you truly think that I'm completely oblivious to what's going on with you?"

I shake my head. I'm still not a hundred percent positive that I know what he's talking about, but my throat is too tight to speak.

"I hear what they say about you. What they say about us. I didn't know why it all started up again, I just thought there was a lull in things for those bitches to gossip about … You've been getting picked on and you said nothing. You got pushed and, still you said nothing!"

"Hey, that's not fair, you found out before I got a chance to tell you," I defend myself.

For some reason that's not sliding, in fact I've just made him angrier.

"You told me it was nothing, Bella. You said she bumped into you. She pushed you to the fucking ground! You're _pregnant_! People don't just go around pushing pregnant women! And now you're getting notes? The worst of it is that I have to hear about all this from other people. Why didn't you tell me, Bella? Have I not proven myself enough? Am I not enough for you?" He turns away from me slightly and pinches the bridge of his nose with a frustrated sigh.

I'm a blubbering mess and my words come out shaky.

"I thought that if I ignored it it'd all just go away," I admit, defeated. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise it'd make you this angry."

Within seconds I am enveloped in his arms and I feel his lips in my hair as he speaks.

"I'm sorry, it's just I hate it when you shut me out, but it's my fault you're going through this and I'm angry at myself more than you. I should have seen this coming."

"It's not your fault," I sniffle into his chest. "They just hate me for some reason."

"They hate you because of me," he admits with a sigh. "Katie's been chasing after me for a while and she's jealous of you."

I never thought anyone would ever be jealous of me. I pull away and look up at him in confusion. "Katie?"

"Brittany," he explains.

"Oh." So Edward doesn't like the Brittanys either. I get a small sense of joy from this.

"So this was never going to just go away. We have to make it go away," he switches back to the subject at hand.

"How are we going to do that exactly?" I ask.

"Well, I've already put my plan in place, but I think you should go see Mrs O'Hare and show her the notes. She needs to know what's going on."

I would much rather this all just go away without having to get the principal and Edward involved, but I realise now that I need help. Sensing my disappointment in myself, Edward pulls me back. I wrap my arms around his waist and grip the back of his shirt. His hands rest on the small of my back. I turn my head and rest it against his heart, my ear is tickled by his breath as he talks just above a whisper.

"Like it or not, you're a little fragile right now. I want to protect you. I want to protect our baby, but I can't do that if you don't let me in."

I look up at him, my cheeks wet with fresh tears, and smile. "I'll try," I whisper.

He brushes my cheek with his thumb, wiping my tears away, and there's a look in his eye that I've seen before. I know what's about to happen and I welcome it by turning my head as he leans down. His lips capture mine in a soft and tender kiss that makes my heart flutter. He kisses me once, twice more and then rests his forehead against mine.

"Brings back memories," he smiles and stands tall, looking down at me.

"Best two minutes of my life," I say in jest.

He chuckles and squeezes me gently. "Hey! It was my second time! Give a guy a break!"

"So who was your first?"

"You sure you want to know?" I nod. I don't care who he's been with before, he obviously hasn't gone back there so she can't have been that good. "Lauren."

"Who?" I try to think if I know her.

"Brittany," he clarifies with a chuckle.

"Oh!"

Dam, so he liked a Brittany at one point. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I don't have long to think about it before I feel the baby kick me really hard for the first time, crashing us both back down to reality.

* * *

**I hand wrote this at some ungodly hour last night while shivering in my icebox of a room, so apologies if it's a little kooky.**

**I got word that some (or one) of you lovely folk have rec'd this story, and I want to thank you. *insert hug emoticon here***

**So much love and thanks to all those that have taken time out of their busy day to write down their thoughts in the box below. If I could kiss you, I would, but I can't, so next time you kiss your reflection tell yourself it's from me. **

**Yeah, I need to eat. I get weird when I don't eat. **

**Oh! So there's going to be some talk about music coming up and I'll include songs that have helped me get these two on paper, so make sure you check out my profile in the coming days for my TG playlist and feel free to rec me anything you think will suit these two. My husband says my taste in music is weird. I would call it eclectic.**

**Much love,**

**BDB x**

** PS. Apologies to anyone named Brittany. I'm sure you're not a bitch, I am simply calling them that because I imagine them all looking like Brittany Spears in her 'Oops I did it Again' video. I hope you understand x **


	19. Chapter 18

**Sincerest apologies for my absence. Possible long winded explanation in the footnote, but I'll let you read on first :)**

* * *

**Confide in Me**

When the bell signals the end of lunch, Edward and I hide out in the music room for a few extra minutes, and then he walks me to the principal's office. Although most people have already made it to class, we catch the eye of a few stragglers. One of them is a Brittany, and Edward puts his arm around me as we walk past her. I keep my head down to avoid eye contact.

He sits next to me when we're finally called into Mrs O'Hare's office, and I tell her everything that's happened over the last week. He cuts in when he thinks I'm being too blasé and reminds Mrs O'Hare of my condition and the consequences that could have come from the shove that made me fall over.

When she asks for names I find myself stuck, and Edward is amused when I look to him for help. He names five different girls and Mrs O'Hare shakes her head in disappointment as she writes them down.

"I'll get them in and have a talk to them," she notes.

"Katie's the one you really want to talk to Mrs O'Hare, she's the ring leader and she has a personal vendetta against Bella," he explains.

She looks to me with wide eyes. "Why would she feel any animosity towards you?" she asks, surprised.

"Because of me," Edward replies lowly.

She looks to him and then writes something down on her pad. "Did you have relations with Katie Jenkins, I mean is this a jealousy thing?"

Edward looks embarrassed. "Yes, it's a jealousy thing, no Katie and I did not have … relations," he adds reluctantly.

I almost laugh at his obvious discomfort with this topic of conversation, considering I'm sitting right here, and I'm the perfect example of him having relations.

"Right." She writes more stuff onto the paper in front of her and then looks up at us. "I'm going to let all your teachers know the situation, and I want you to go straight to them, or me, if you have any more problems, okay?" We both nod. "Okay, now, straight back to class, and thank you for letting me know that this is going on."

At the end of the day both Edward and Jasper are waiting with me by the pickup bay, despite me telling them I'll be fine and to go home.

"I could teach you muay thai," Jasper pipes up after Edward updates him on our trip to see Mrs O'Hare. "Those bitches wouldn't want to touch you then," he adds.

"Those bitches wouldn't want to touch her now, or ever," Edward fumes.

Jasper smiles at him, amused. He thumps him on the back twice and chuckles. "Put your claws back in, tiger," he jests.

"I don't think I'm in any shape to be learning muay thai," I put a hand on my bump, "but thanks for the offer. I'll just continue fighting with my wit." I smile.

"Solid plan," he nods in agreement.

When mum pulls up I can see her eyebrows just about jump off her face in surprise, but she nonchalantly leans across and greets us with a raised palm. "Hello, boys," she calls out.

"Hello, Mrs Swan," they say in unison.

This is all too weird for me. I jump into the passenger seat as quickly as my tired body will allow and tell my mother to drive already. She gives me a puzzled look, leans over me and waves again. "Bye, boys!"

"Bye!" They wave.

She finally pulls out of the parking space and waits until we're on the road before voicing her curiosity.

"What's going on?"

I'm too tired to talk about this, but then I am also too tired to have her hassle me about it all night. I sigh and tell her why the guys were babysitting me.

"She _pushed_ you?" Mum is furious. "That bloody little bitch! I'm going to have a talk to her parents!"

I look at her sideways and laugh. My mum rarely swears, so hearing her say those words really amuses me. She throws me a sideways glance.

"This isn't funny, Izzy! You're pregnant for God's sake!"

I sigh and sink into my seat.

"I know, but Mrs O'Hare is going to sort it out, so please don't make it worse than it already is," I beg. "I just want this all to blow over."

She pulls into the drive way, puts the car in park and looks to me. "You know, sometimes I wish you'd stop being so … detached from the world. The way you react to what goes on around you … things like this don't just _blow over_." She stops to mull over how to get her point across before speaking again. "You're having a baby, Izzy. If you don't learn how to stand up and speak out soon, then parenthood is really going to throw you for a six."

She turns off the car, pulls the key from the ignition, and gives me one last look, before opening her door. I get out of the car and walk up to my room without a word.

I sit on my bed and mull over my mother's words. What she said was nothing I didn't already know, but something about it has me unable to think about anything else. I try to push it aside and get on with some homework, but give up and lose myself in some music, before I'm called down for dinner.

It's not until I've closed my eyes and invited sleep to take me over that it hits me. My eyes spring open in an instant.

_She said parenthood_. I wonder if I've said something to give her the impression that I've changed my mind, but I can't think of anything.

In fact, the topic of adoption hasn't come up for weeks.

A strange sense of panic overcomes me, before sleep takes over.

* * *

**So, I would like to buy ya'll some sorry shakes, let me know what flavour ya like? **

**My life is hectic with a capitol F lately. I have a house that needs renovating before we vacate, plus packing, plus my 18 month old who has decided that sleep is for fools (I soooo want to be a fool!), plus an almost 6yo who's party is in 4 weeks and I haven't organised shit (give me your best snack ideas pretty please! It's a Monsters High theme and I'm stuck on spooky snack ideas!), and I also have a medical condition that likes to make my life more like an obstacle course than a golf course some days. I've never played golf, mind you, but it looks more laid back than an obstacle course.**

**And here is where you send hate mail. I'm going to have to scale back the updates. They'll likely be between 2-4 times a week. Possibly more if I can find time. From the bottom of my heart I apologise.**

**Lastly, thank you all so so much for faving and following and especially to those who also take time out to review. They keep me going.**

**All my love**

**BDB**

**xx**

**PS. That Girl's playlist is now on my profile. Check it out if you're interested :) **


	20. Chapter 19

**Hold on to ya seats ;) **

* * *

**My New Best Friend**

It's not until Thursday that Angela is back at school. I'm so glad to be done with being babysat by Edward and his friends that I can't help but run up and hug her the moment I see her in the car park.

As she walks me to class I catch her up on the latest. I tell her that Edward and I were pulled into Mrs O'Hare's office yesterday and informed that Katie had owned up to bumping me, but still claimed it was an accident. She also denied writing the notes, but was suspended regardless.

"Apparently it's only for two days, but at least it's something, I guess," I add.

She stops and looks at me incredulously. "So she gets to push down a pregnant woman and then torment her with stupid notes and gets suspended for two days?"

I shrug in response.

"How are you not fired up about this? That bitch deserves to be expelled. She shouldn't be allowed back in this school!"

I balk at her. It seems Katie brings out the worst in everyone.

"I don't like confrontation. Besides, if I ignore her long enough, she'll get bored eventually," I mumble.

Angela shakes her head at me in disbelief. "And her minions?" she asks as we keep walking.

"They haven't been able to do much with Edward and his entourage babysitting me."

"You mean keeping you safe from psychopath Barbies?" A voice asks from behind me.

I turn to see Jasper walking behind us with Edward by his side. I can tell by Edward's face that he's heard more of our conversation than I would have liked, but I'm too busy looking at Jasper's hair to wonder just how much. His shaggy locks have been slicked back and pulled into a ponytail.

"What is going on up there?" I ask, pointing at his head.

He looks to Angela and winks, then replies as though he's trying to remember something he'd rehearsed. "I'm just trying something new."

"He's trying to impress the reverend," Edward blurts out at the same time.

"Jasper! I thought we weren't going to tell?" Angela abolishes.

Jasper shrugs and gives her a sheepish grin. Edward looks extremely amused. I look to Angela questioningly. She stands next to Jasper and puts an arm around his waist.

"Jasper's going to ask my dad if he can date me. I mean, I'm allowed to date now that I'm sixteen, it's just he is a bit old fashioned, you know …"she peters off and looks up at Jasper with a wide smile.

I am unsure what to think, but I'm amused none the less.

I feel Edward's arm sling over my shoulder and he surprises me by putting a hand on my bump.

"Or you could just knock her up, then he'll have no choice but to accept you into the family," he jokes.

"Dude, her dad owns a gun, he's probably just biding his time," Jasper laughs.

Edward looks at me as if to confirm Jasper's theory. I shrug and nod. It's a high possibility that Jasper could be right. He grimaces and inhales sharply through his teeth.

The bell rings, ending our conversation abruptly. I feel Edward rub his thumb along my bump before pulling away and walking to his class.

I don't know why, but Edward's act this morning has really pissed me off. He's so cavalier about this pregnancy thing now and it really grinds my nerves. This isn't normal. Being pregnant in high school is not something that should be joked about. I want to yell at him and tell him how childish he's being. But during lunch I hold it all in and keep up the visage of happy, pregnant, sixteen year old Isabella Swan just going with the motions.

By the time Angela and I are walking to fifth period, I am so fired up, that I finally snap.

"What are you looking at?" I yell at one of the Britney's that is blatantly staring at me.

"A whore," she replies bluntly.

I'm shocked into silence and my anger dissipates instantly. Gut wrenching hurt takes over and I want to crawl into a hole and cry.

"What did you call her?"

Angela stands in front of me and I wonder what in the hell she's doing. I heard what she called me, I don't need to hear it again. I need to run. Get out of here and find somewhere private to fall apart.

The girl steps closer and challenges Angela. "You heard me, I called her a whore. Would you like me to spell it out for you?" She smirks.

Angela laughs and I watch the smirk fall from the other girls face. I'm rooted to the spot, in awe of Angela's bravery.

"I'm sorry," Angela tries to get a hold of her laughter. "It's just…" she looks out to some of the crowd that has gathered. "I just heard Chelsea Parker call Isabella Swan a whore. I mean, Chelsea Parker, you know …" Angela stops her charade and then looks Chelsea straight in the eyes. "The very same Chelsea Parker who had a threesome at her party, because she was depressed over Edward rejecting her earlier in the night. Gee, that story sounds so familiar!" Angela turns her head to the side and then steps closer to Chelsea. They're now almost toe to toe. "Oh, that's right! That's the rumour you spread about Izzy, when really, it was_ you_! You whore."

I've never seen Angela like this before. I step closer and go to put my hand on her shoulder to calm her down, at the same time Chelsea throws a punch. Angela dodges it and puts her hand to the girl's chest, pushing her to the ground, but not before Chelsea's fist connects with my cheek.

I instinctively yell out in pain and hold my hand up to my face. The crowd around us erupts into cheers and I feel someone put a hand on my shoulder and ask if I'm okay. I am too concerned about what's going on in front of me to answer. Chelsea looks wild and ready to fight, but she barely gets the chance to stand up, before a teacher arrives and orders us all to the principal's office.

* * *

**I have so much to thank you all for. Namely reviews and all the flippin AMAZING recs for my girl's birthday as well as music recs for this story. I would sincerely love to hug you all. Love is the greatest feeling of all and I feel it, so much!**

**Now excuse me while I go cheer for Angela and finish the next chapter :) **


	21. Chapter 20

**My Suspension**

The yelling is like nothing I've ever heard before. There's too many people in this small room and the screaming coming from Mrs Parker is completely unnecessary considering how confined we are.

I find it strange that it's not Chelsea she's mad at. It's Mrs O'Hare.

"My daughter did nothing wrong! She simply defended herself!" she's screeching.

"Mrs Parker, please understand that this is the school policy. All three girls are suspended for two days, and that is final," Mrs O'Hare stands her ground.

The ice pack is starting to make my face numb and I pull it away, wincing as the air hits it. Angela looks up from her lap and gives me an apologetic look. I shake my head to let her know that I don't blame her at all. In fact I want to know where she learnt her moves. She had Chelsea on the ground in seconds. I reach over and hold my kick ass friend's hand. She smiles at me and we both turn to Mrs O'Hare, when she speaks again.

"Mrs Swan, Mr Weber as I was saying," she gives Mrs Parker a stern look, silently asking her to not interrupt again, "if you want to take this matter further –"

"I would like a private meeting with you to discuss my daughter's future and safety here, if you don't mind," my mother interrupts.

Mrs O'Hare nods in understanding and purses her lips. "Of course." She sighs and closes the book in front of her and looks up at all three of us girls. "I want you all to take this time to think about your actions, okay, girls?"

We all mumble a reply and then she dismisses us, except for my mother. My mum asks me to wait in the hall and says she'll see me in five. I pull up stumps just across from the office door.

"Mr Weber?" I call, before he walks off with his daughter in tow.

"Yes?" he stops just in front of me.

I pause as I watch Chelsea and her mother walk past. Both of them stare me down and I see now why Chelsea is such a bitch; the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

"Um, I'm sorry for getting Angela into trouble. It's my fault. She was just sticking up for me. Please don't punish her," I beg.

He smiles at me kindly. "That's very nice of you, Isabella, but Angela is responsible for her own actions. I promise she won't be punished harshly, but I hope you understand that you won't see or hear from her over the weekend as she will have her phone and internet privileges taken away."

I nod and look past him at Angela sympathetically. She doesn't say anything, but I can tell that she's not happy with this news. I remember that Jasper is meant to be asking her dad for his permission to date her later today and I'm suddenly wracked with guilt.

"Sorry," I mouth to her as they walk off.

She shrugs and looks at the floor, defeated.

I pull out my phone and text Edward quickly.

_Angela grounded and phone taken from her. Tell Jasper I'm sorry, it's my fault!_

_? _Is texted back almost immediately.

_Will explain later. Just tell Jasper, please. _I decide stalling's the best idea right now. If I tell Edward that I got into a fight with Chelsea, there's no saying what he'll do. He's sure to find out by the end of the day anyway.

Mum doesn't say a word to me on the way home, but I know I'm in for a talking to when we get home. We are just in the door when I try to explain myself and get in before she starts her lecture.

"Sorry, Mum. I know this isn't like me. I just got so angry and –"

"You snapped," Mum interrupts. She sits at the kitchen table and motions for me to sit. "I'm not saying I'm proud of you, because what you did was childish and you could have got seriously hurt, but I am … happy that you stuck up for yourself in Mrs O'Hare's office and told the truth."

We're both silent for a moment and I can't think of the right words to say.

"Was that the full story? Did you really start on her first?" I nod and look down at my hands on the table. "What made you so angry? Did she say something to you earlier in the day?" I shake my head, no. "Then what, Izzy? What's going on with you?"

"Edward," I give in after a moment's contemplation. "I don't know what it is about him, but sometimes he just makes me really angry."

Mum surprises me by laughing. "Your dad used to grind on my nerves, too, when I was pregnant with you girls. I think it's a hormone thing."

"Yeah, but sometimes he just says really stupid things, too," I point out, and then I tell her everything that happened leading up to the fight.

"Oh, Izzy, you silly girl! He's just trying to have some fun. I'm sure he's just as panicked as you are about this whole ordeal, he's just trying to make you feel more at ease."

"Well I don't feel at ease," I bite back. I'm suddenly annoyed again and I wish I knew how to stop it.

Mum sighs and reaches over to grab my hand. "You need to stop holding it all in and talk to him. Guys aren't mind readers! In fact guys are pretty useless at reading women, period. The only way you can get a boy to notice that something is wrong, is to tell him."

"Okay, but how do I stop it?"

"Stop what?" she asks, confused.

"This emotional rollercoaster. One minute I'm feeling fine, the next I want to punch Edward in the throat and the next I want to hug him for being all protective and superhero like." Tears wet my cheeks and I chuckle. "See!"

Mum gets up and stands behind my chair to hug me from behind. I hold onto her forearms and squeeze her in return.

"I don't think you can, honey, you just have to ride the rollercoaster," she mumbles into my hair and kisses my head before walking into the kitchen. "Orange juice?"

"Yes please!" I call out, suddenly excited to be feeding my craving.

I am upstairs with my iPod in my ears, listening to some music to calm me, when I hear a knock at my door.

"Come in," I call out casually.

Edward walks in and I pull the plugs from my ears and sit up in my bed.

"Oh, hey," I say cautiously.

He looks a mixture of angry and concerned and I'm wondering which one is going to win out.

"What happened to fighting with your wit?" he smiles, diffusing the tension inside me.

"Ha, yeah, well, I got a bit carried away," I admit.

He sits on the edge of my bed and looks closely at my cheek. "Looks sore," he notes.

I shrug nonchalantly. "You should see the other chick," I joke.

He laughs and the sound of it makes my heart flutter. Damn these hormones.

"So your first suspension, huh?"

"Yep and it's all your fault," I point out. He's obviously confused about this so I take my mother's advice and explain to him why I went a little crazy.

"But I know you didn't mean to make light of our situation, at least now I don't. It's just, at the time I felt like maybe you did, and it made me really annoyed for some reason. I don't know what's wrong with me lately, it's like one minute I'm happy and the next I kind of want to kill you," I finish.

He raises his eyebrows in surprise and I chuckle.

"Not literally … well, maybe," I joke. "It's just I'm really, really … scared," I add seriously as tears start to well.

"Well, first off, I'd love it if you didn't kill me," he smiles kindly at me and I can't help but smile back. "Secondly," he grabs my hand and looks me in the eyes, "I'm scared, too," he whispers.

There's a connection. A shared moment of understanding and he pulls me gently until I'm snuggled, rather awkwardly, into his chest. I can hear his rapid heart beat, which speeds up seconds before I feel him sigh.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?" I reply and move to look up at him.

"Don't look at me," he begs and then puts his hand on my head, encouraging me to stay where I am. "I can't say what I want to say if you're looking at me," he explains.

"Okay," I mumble. Anxiousness bubbles inside of me and I get a strange sense of foreboding.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I've been trying to find the right way to tell you …" he stops for a moment to collect himself. When he speaks again I'm balled over by the emotion in his voice. "I don't think I can do this."

With my heart in my throat, I try to pull away from him, but he holds me tight.

"I'm not finished. Sorry, I'm just trying to find the right words to say." He sighs heavily and continues, this time with more conviction. "I can't have my little girl out there and not know who she is. I don't want to watch someone else raise my child. Bella, I don't want to go through with the adoption."

* * *

**Dun dun dun! Well as suspenseful as this story is likely to get LOL But you probably all saw that coming. **

**Well the weekend is here and mine is packed out to the absolute max, so I will catch all you lovely people next week. **

**Thank you all, sincerely from the bottom of my heart for being so amazing. I apologise for the lack of review replies, I figured getting you a new chapter would be more important xx**

**In the next chapter we might skip ahead a little and we'll also find out what got into Angela. **


	22. Chapter 21

**I beg for your forgiveness. Explanation at the end xx**

* * *

**Talking the talk**

Living out my suspension hasn't been nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Thursday afternoon is spent talking, in deep, with Edward and by the time he's left I feel like I've learned so much more about him as a person. I find myself thinking of him in a different light altogether, and I could almost kick myself for not having done this before I got into this predicament.

Friday is spent doing homework and avoiding my mum as much as possible. After school Edward picks me up to take me to my ultrasound appointment with his mum. She's pleased to see that the clot is smaller, but says she's still concerned about its position. Still, she is positive that by the next appointment it'll be gone completely. I look over to see a very relieved Edward and we walk out of there with some new and really cool 3D snapshots of our baby girl.

When we're in the car he asks if he can look at them. I pass them to him and he gives me a secretive smile before putting the pictures in his top pocket.

Once we're stopped in my driveway he pulls out the pictures and looks at them for a long moment before glancing at me.

"Can I keep one?"

"Um, yeah, I'll go inside and get some scissors." I'm a little surprised at his gentle request, but a part of me is also giddy that he wants to keep a photo of our baby.

Our baby that he wants to keep. I remind myself and supress a wave of panic as I move to exit the car.

"I'll come with you."

I'm nervous. Apart from the quick goodbye he said to my mother yesterday as he left, Edward hasn't spoken to my parents since the whole debacle when we first found out. If he comes into the house, my mum is sure to strike up a conversation and my dad is due home any moment. My nerves kick up a notch when I see both mum and dad in the kitchen. Dad has obviously been home a while because he's already out of his uniform.

They're standing by the stove and talking while mum is mixing something with a wooden spoon. The air smells of curry and I want to eat it right this minute.

"Oh, um, hey Dad," I greet.

They both turn slightly and have matching expressions when they see Edward. I point my thumb over my shoulder at him, and explain that he just came in to get a picture of the baby.

"Oh, you got more pictures?" Mum asks excitedly. She wipes her hands on her jeans and steps toward us with an upward palm.

I chew on my bottom lip and smile. I can't help but get caught up in her excitement and I watch as Edward hands them to her.

"They're 3D!" he points out unnecessarily.

"Oh my goodness!" Mum steps back toward dad and holds up the three pictures to him. "Look at these Charlie! You can really see her little face, look! She has your nose, look at that." She points to a part of the picture and glances up at dad. Seeing that he's in a state of shock and awe, she looks to us and smiles. "They never had these when I was pregnant with you. It was all a guessing game back then, but you can really see her in these can't you?"

I bite my lips between my teeth and smile. I'm so caught up in her glee that I don't realise Edward is standing so close to me until I feel his fingertips brush mine. I look up at him and he holds my gaze with glinting eyes. I know he's silently urging me to tell them, but I'm not ready yet. I need to plan this, not just spring it on them. I shake my head at him slightly and his expression changes from one of hope to one of frustration.

My mother's voice interrupts our silent conversation and we almost jump apart.

"Well," she says with a sigh. "Since you're here, why don't you stay for dinner?" She asks Edward.

He and I aren't the only ones that are surprised, my father's eyes are torn from the pictures in his hand and he stares daggers into the back of my mother's head.

"Um…" Edward looks to me as if asking for permission. When I say nothing, he shrugs and turns back to my mother. "Yeah, okay, sure," he replies, almost too casually.

I manage to get the pictures back from dad and I cut one off to give to Edward, before he excuses himself to make a phone call to his parents. While he's outside I put the other two pictures up on the fridge and give dad a small smile, before swiftly exiting the kitchen. Avoiding them is much easier than pretending that my life is just dandy for the sake of keeping the peace.

Too bad I can't avoid dinner because it is awkward as hell. Apart from the scraping of forks on plates, and the occasional loud noise Edward makes when he takes a sip of water (which makes me want to stab him in the eye with my fork), the table is silent.

I practically eat my whole dinner in one breath and this gets me a weird look from Edward. I shrug and open my mouth to use my usual excuse of eating for two when my father interrupts.

"So what are your plans for the future, Edward?"

I'm glad that I've finished my dinner, because I likely would have choked on it if I hadn't. We both look down the table at him and my dad eyes Edward in return.

I glance at Edward and he hesitates for a moment before wiping his mouth with his napkin and then smiles at my dad.

"It's probably no secret that medicine runs through my blood," he chuckles, "but I'm thinking of taking a different path in the field. I'll be applying to do a degree in bio med next year," he says confidently.

"And you think you'll get in?" Dad asks brusquely.

I open my mouth to protest against his interrogation, but Edward interrupts me.

"Well, I certainly hope so. I mean, my math could use a little work, but I'm passing all my other subjects." Edward smiles and takes a sip of his water.

The sound grates on my nerves.

"So, you don't always go out to parties and have sex with younger girls then?"

Edward chokes on his water and starts to splutter and cough. My mother and I protest in unison.

"Dad!"

"Charlie!"

"Oh, c'mon!" he chuckles. "I'm just playing with the lad."

He smiles at Edward and Edward tries to smile back, but coughs some more. Mum shakes her head and continues eating, I push my plate back and fold my arms across my body. Trust dad to make the night more awkward than it already was.

Edward seems to have collected himself and he looks my dad steadfast in the eye.

"No, sir, just this one time," he replies, and goes back to eating his dinner.

My father stops short, his fork still in the air, and looks at me curiously. I don't know why Edward's reply makes me happy, but I am smiling when our eyes meet.

"What are you going to do next year without him there?" Dad asks, nodding his head in Edwards's direction.

I shrug. "Go to school like I always do," I reply offhandedly.

"What about those girls? You'll be about to have a baby and he won't be there to protect you," he says quickly before shovelling more food into his mouth.

My dad has never been one for beating around the bush.

"Most of those girls are seniors, they won't be there next year," Edward points out. "But Chelsea will," he adds.

"I'm not scared of her," I huff.

"You shouldn't be," he replies kindly. "You shouldn't be scared of anyone, but you shouldn't ignore it either. The whole school is a fish tank. Everyone sees everything. Everyone sees you."

"Well, I'm not hard to miss." I lean back and put a hand on my belly. Although it's not huge, it's very noticeable.

Edward sighs in frustration. He puts down his fork, wipes his mouth, pushes his empty plate back and leans forward a little, eyeing me seriously.

"That's not what I meant. What I meant is that everyone knows everyone's business at school."

"I don't," I quip.

"Exactly," he replies.

I'm confused. "I don't get it," I tell him.

"You don't know anyone's business because you're too busy playing a victim."

"I don't play a victim!" I protest loudly.

"You kinda do," my mother chimes in.

I shoot her an incredulous look.

"You don't fight back," she points out.

"If I don't fight back then why am I suspended?"

"That wasn't fighting back, that was an outburst of hormones," my mother replies with a teasing smile.

I'm not impressed. I feel like I'm being ganged up on and I can't even remember how this conversation started, but then a moment later I do. I look at dad with disdain.

"When you're back on Tuesday, all you have to do is look them in the eye when you see them," Edward says with a shrug.

"Wouldn't they just see that as a challenge?"

He shrugs again. "They might, but they wouldn't want to hurt you."

I raise an eyebrow in his direction. "Because I'm pregnant? That hasn't stopped them before," I remind him.

"Because you're with me," he replies with a hint of irritation, "but also because if you prove to them that you're not a victim, and you're not afraid of them, they'll eventually leave you alone."

I mull over his words for a bit and look down at my fingernails to see they're ridiculously long and in need of some TLC.

"Think about it, they're only picking on you because they're jealous of you. For one, you're much smarter than they are. Use it to your advantage."

"I may be smarter than them academically, but I'm the one that got pregnant at sixteen," I mumble with a glance up at him.

He smiles and shrugs again. "So what? Like you said, it's not like anyone doesn't know and can't see the obvious. Own it. You're that girl that got pregnant in high school, but you're not the first and you won't be the last. At least you're more likely to make something of your life, pregnant or not. Own the title and they'll have nothing left call you out on. Because the truth is your rap sheet is otherwise pretty perfect." He smiles at me teasingly.

"I agree," my mother's voice reminds me where we are and that others are at the table.

Edward, too, seems to sit back in his seat with a start. He collects himself, pushes his seat back and begins to gather everyone's plates.

"Oh, you don't have to do that! You're a guest," my mother tells him and gets up to help.

"It's fine, I got it," he assures her and mum sits back down with a smile.

When he reaches for dad's plate, my dad stands up and says he'll take it himself. "You're making me look bad, son," he explains with a chuckle, before leading Edward into the kitchen.

They are stacking the dishwasher when mum turns to me and smiles.

"He's a keeper that one." She winks and then declares that she's going to put dessert in the oven, before getting up and joining them in the kitchen, leaving me with a head full of mixed up thoughts.

* * *

**Massive apologies for the delay (and the hundreds of grammar mistakes that are likely to be scattered in this one), I've had a whole heap of bad luck recently. **

**In the space of days I fell and collected a railing on the way down. I hurt my hip so bad that I still have remnants of the massive bruise almost 2 weeks later. I then got a cold the next day, and two days later broke my toe. **

**Now that i'm finally recovered from my cold and silly injuries, my 18 month old is sick with a cold. We'll hopefully catch a break soon, but in the meantime updates will be scattered as I try my best to write between RL responsibilities. **

**Thank you so much for your patience and for not sending me abusive PM's about my inability to stick to my commitments LOL. **

**I cherish your love and support xx**

**PS. I'm coming out! Check my profile for a link to my other profile where you can read other stories of mine and very short daily drabbles that I'm currently doing. (of course I won't likely be able to do them every day with all the RL stuff going on, but hopefully they'll be something you can enjoy until the next chapter of That Girl)**


	23. Chapter 22

**Long absence explanation down below. For now, I apologise for the grammar and any spelling mistakes. **

* * *

**Walking the Walk**

Dessert is mum's famous apple pie and ice-cream combination (store bought). The conversation is much lighter and dad shares a funny story about a drunken character they had picked up the day before. The old lady had called dad Fabio and begged him to marry her, right before projectile vomiting all over him. Dad took it much better than most by telling her the wedding was off and then handing her to the cell officers.

After dessert Edward thanks mum and says he should be getting home.

"Any time, Edward," she smiles at him, before turning to dad, "C'mon, Fabio, you can help me with the dishes."

Edward and I are still laughing as I walk him out to his car. Once he's at the driver's door he turns around and smiles at me.

"That was fun." I look at him like he's crazy and he laughs. "It was," he affirms. "I honestly thought there would be a bigger lecture coming from your dad than what I got."

"So did I," I admit.

He's watching me carefully with a lopsided smile and reaches his hand out to mine. Our fingertips brush, grip, and he pulls gently. Fingers interlock, toe to toe, I look up into his eyes; the porch light adequate in showing off the many colours within them.

"I need to tell you something," he speaks lowly, his thumb brushes the skin over mine and my stomach flutters.

"Okay…" I peter out, wondering where this is going.

"You know, I've always liked you and I never meant for this to happen. I thought about asking you out, but you were always so distant and I thought there was no way you'd be interested. That night … I didn't mean to … I mean I shouldn't have, because we'd both been drinking and … you know? It was stupid."

He pauses and I can feel tears welling as a sudden breeze of realisation hits, blowing across the nape of my neck and making me heady. He's changed his mind. He thinks this was all a mistake. The world swims around me and I find it hard to look him in the eyes as he continues.

"Last night made me realise that I wish I'd gotten to know you better before this all happened, but I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. I mean we still have a few months, right? We have plenty of time to get to know each other before she comes."

He pauses again and I'm almost too busy trying to bring my world back into the upright position to hear him.

"I guess what I'm saying is, Bella? Will you go out with me?"

Relief washes over me, and I choke out something between a laugh and a cry.

"Well, that's not the reaction I was hoping for," he says, a slight frown on his face.

"No! No! Sorry, it's just," I look him steadfast in the eyes and beam at him, "Yes, I would love to go out with you," I finish.

He beams back at me and then leans down to plant a soft kiss on my lips. My stomach flutters again, only this time, when I feel a solid kick straight afterward, I realise that it's the baby, not butterflies. Edward deepens the kiss a little, I give into him and pull his hands up to rest on my belly. I smile secretly and wait patiently, expecting nothing, but hoping ... Then it happens. Edward pulls away in an instant and looks down at his hands.

"Was that…?" He looks at me wide eyed in surprise.

It wasn't a very hard kick but it was an unmistakable bump from the inside. I nod and he observes me curiously.

"How long have you been feeling kicks?"

I shrug. "Since that day in the music room, but this is the first time on the outside. I wasn't sure if we'd be able to feel it but she's been kicking up a storm tonight. It's mostly just light fluttering but then some good boots now and then. That was pretty much just pure luck," I laugh lightly.

After waiting around for another five minutes hoping to feel another kick, he finally gives up and kisses me once more before getting into his car and driving home.

Clouds cushion my feet as I glide up to my bedroom and get ready for bed. Sleep is followed by sweet dreams of Edward's lips.

…

Although I am housebound on the weekend, my parents allow Edward to come over and help me with some of my homework. At least that's the reason we gave them for him coming over, though I'm sure they're not stupid.

We spend both days listening to music and talking to find out what things we had in common. As it turns out, not a lot. The first sign of this is when he laughs at me for my music choices.

"What!" I demand, pushing him playfully.

"Nothing, it's just you're such a meek person, I never thought you'd be the kind of person that would listen to Tool and Slipknot. Plus, Fleetwood Mac?" he laughs, pointing at my Fleetwood Mac night shirt on my bed.

"Hey! Don't knock the classics! Besides, maybe the reason I'm so 'meek' as you put it, is because I listen to bands like Tool and Slipknot." He looks at me questioningly. "Okay then music guru, what do you listen to?" I challenge him. "Backstreet Boys?"

He points at me and smirks "Don't be knocking the classics, Bella," he laughs. "But no, I don't listen to the Backstreet Boys."

"Well, then tell me."

"How about I show you?" he replies. "Give me your iPod and I'll make you a playlist of the best music you've ever heard."

"Challenge accepted," I quip, before handing him my iPod.

On Monday I receive a text from Edward saying that he can't come round but that he'll call me. He follows through on his promise and after dinner we talk until I fall asleep.

Tuesday morning I wake with my phone in my hand and jump when it vibrates with a message.

_Rise and shine sleeping beauty. You're no longer locked inside your castle. See you soon. P.S you snore :P_

I want to be mad at him for his dig at me, but I can't help but smile at the fact that he didn't type one single word in text talk. My hate of text typing was something I had mentioned over the weekend. It is sweet to know that he'd been listening.

When mum drops me off at school I see Jasper, Angela, Edward and Eric all waiting for me. There is another girl there who I guess is Eric's sister, judging by the resemblance.

"Hey fellow convict," Angela jokes as she hugs me.

"Hey," I laugh as I hug her back.

I say hello to all the others and then smile back in Angela's direction when I see Jasper and her are arm and arm.

"Oh boohoo you had to both stay at home," Jasper jokes as everyone starts to walk toward the English block.

"Yeah, well, you know what my dad is like, not exactly a fun person to hang with," Angela retorts.

"I don't know, he seems like a decent guy. He sure loves me," Jasper smiles at her and puffs out his chest a little.

She looks up at him and smiles kindly. "I am yet to work out why that is," she jests.

I am guessing by their conversation that Jasper still visited her house and spoke to her father, and I'm so pleased for my friend that I almost miss Edward's outstretched hand. I look up at him and take it.

"Ready?" he asks.

I nod. "Look them in the eye," I repeat his words from the dinner table conversation and he smiles at me proudly.

"Look them in the eye," he confirms.

"Show them who the boss, Li'l Mumma," Jasper adds.

Everyone slowly disperses and goes to their own rooms, leaving Edward and I standing at his locker, our fingers still linked, our laughter still petering out over stories the others had shared about their weekend. I pull to separate us and get ready to go into my homeroom when Edward pulls me toward him. I look up at him with shock and begin to question him, when he stops me by leaning in, our noses almost touching. His eyes are intense as they bore into me.

"Beautiful, pregnant, and happy. Don't look now, Bella, but everyone is watching you not give a fuck," he whispers, before kissing me with fervour. One hand cups my face, the other rests on my lower back, and for once I couldn't care less about who's watching me. I grip his shirt in my fists and let happiness overwhelm me.

* * *

**I want to thank everyone that reviewed or messaged me to check on me during my absence. It has been a really tough few weeks. My daughter has a heart condition that meant a hospital trip, my son has been sick 3 times in the last few weeks and I've been sick twice. **

**I have a condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (Wiki surprisingly has good info on it if you would like to learn more) and this past couple of weeks I've slipped/dislocated a rib and am also bedridden as my legs are covered in painful bruises because I sat on a bench seat for a couple of hours on the weekend while out to dinner. Normally i'd use these rest periods to write, but I've been in far too much pain to even think straight let alone write. **

**I'm hoping to see my physio soon to get my rib put back in place and strapped and hopefully these bruises will go away and take the joint/muscle pain with it soon, but in the meantime I hope you'll understand that I can only write when my body allows me to. After a month or two of minimal symptoms I guess I should have expected a few weeks of complete body failure eventually LOL. ****(Plus we're moving next month! GAH! Needless to say I am not ready!)**

**Thanks again for all the amazing support. You people are such genuine and kind people, I hate to have to change my updating schedule on you. Know that I appreciate you all immensely and this story WILL be finished. **

**All my love**

**BDB**


	24. Chapter 23

**My Compass and my Sea**

The sound of someone clearing their throat makes Edward and I slowly pull away from each other. We look sheepishly at Mr Banner and, despite his disapproving look, Edward and I smile as he tells us it's time to get to class.

"Yes, sir," Edward replies happily.

With a quick peck goodbye, Edward and I walk to our own classes.

While sitting in class I listen in on the Brittanys discussing my "sluttish" behaviour in the hall. Of course, according to them, he only kissed me because he feels sorry for me. Surprisingly, their words don't upset me a single bit. The kiss was very real. I felt it. Plus, remembering Edward's words about always having liked me, and even telling Alice so, has me smiling to myself in amusement at their trash talk.

The trash talk and stares don't let up through the rest of the day and it proves a great source of amusement for all. At lunch the usual group sit in the quarry and we swap stories about what we've learned through the rumour mill.

"I heard that you still don't know who the father is, you're just saying it's Edward because his family are well off," Jasper chimes in.

"I heard that you're not even pregnant. That your bump is a prosthetic," Eric's sister pipes up. I look at her, dumbfounded. It's the first time I've heard her speak. She smiles at me shyly.

I don't know what comes over me, but I stand and lift up my shirt to bare my rounded belly. I run my hand over it and mumble, "Nope, it's real."

Just as I put my shirt back down, Edward surprises me by leaning over and cupping his hands around my belly. "Baby!_ I_ am your father," he says in a gruff voice.

"You dork!" I laugh, and push him playfully, before sitting back down.

The whole table is still in hysterics from all the silliness when the bell rings.

On the way to our next class Angela tells me the story about how Jasper had ignored her suspension and went to her house to speak with her dad. She found out later from Jasper that he and her dad had been talking for almost an hour before she was called down from her room.

She then goes on to explain that her awesome moves on Chelsea was thanks to a few self-defence classes she took at her church.

I look at my friend's smiling face and realise that she truly is such a happier person nowadays. It makes me happy, too. So happy in fact, that Chelsea's jibe as we walk past her doesn't even break my stride.

The rest of Tuesday is simply amazing and my new found confidence and smile doesn't go unnoticed when mum picks me up.

"You look like you've had a good day," she comments.

"The best," I beam.

She lets me bathe in my happiness in peace.

When I get home, I spend an hour with Alice in her room, telling her all the finer details of my incredible day.

Wednesday morning comes after a sound sleep and I feel so refreshed that I practically skip down to breakfast and, again, out the door to mum's car. She smiles at me, but doesn't say a word.

My morning is spent laughing over Jasper and Angela's continuous banter. They are so happy, it's infectious.

Lunch is spent in the quarry again and I am laughing at Eric's impersonation of one of the teachers when I feel a gush. A mixture of worry and embarrassment over possibly pissing my pants literally, sets in.

I stand and grab Angela's arm. "Come with me?" I ask, trying to hint with my eyes that I urgently need her to come with me.

She looks at me, wide eyed, and nods. Edward clicks on that something isn't right and he asks me lowly if I'm okay.

"Yeah, just girl stuff," I assure him with a smile, and drag Angela away.

Once we're out of earshot Angela asks if everything's all right.

"I'm not sure. I think I may have just peed my pants, in the literal sense. Either that, or it's another heavy bleed."

"You're still bleeding?" she asks astonished.

"A little, but Esme said that's normal with these things. It's just a matter of keeping an eye on it and baby was happy in the last ultrasound." I try to assure her.

"Oh, Izzy! I never thought I'd say this, but I sure hope you've just peed your pants."

I smile at my friend, amazed at how she always manages to make me laugh when my anxiety is threatening to send me into a spin.

"Me too," I agree, before opening the door into the ladies toilet.

Once in the cubicle I pull my pants down and sit on the toilet in one swift movement. I count to three and look down.

Red. Everything is red.

My heart feels as though it has instantaneously shattered into a million pieces. I take a deep breath and try to swallow the lump in my throat before calling out to Angela. I barely get her name out when I feel something fall into the toilet. I look in to see a lump of blood the size of my palm.

"Oh my God,"

"Izzy! Let me in!" Angela bangs on the door.

Somehow, through the blinding panic and constant tears, I manage to let Angela in. She pulls my phone from my pocket and calls Edward.

"Edward, it's Angela. Edward, it's happening again. It's bad, oh my god it's everywhere, it's bad …. Hurry!"

The panic in my friends voice brings me back from the brink of a black out and I look around to see that there's blood all over my thighs. I start to grab handfuls of toilet paper and wipe at my legs. I shove some into my pants and pull them up, but instantly feel dizzy and sit back down again.

"Bella?" Edward's panicked voice echoes loudly around the bathroom.

"In here!" My friend calls out for me.

Angela opens the door and Edward bursts in nearly bowling her over in the process. He squats down in front of me and I hear Angela warning him about blood. He looks down and I follow. There's blood on the floor. Not a lot, but it's horrible to look at.

"Sorry!" I sob.

Edward pulls me up and holds me. "Oh, Bella," he murmurs into my ear as he grips onto me, and I onto him in return. A few moments later I feel him stiffen and hear him whisper, "Oh my God." I can only guess he's seen what's in the toilet and I sob harder at the thought of it.

He pushes the lid down and tells me to sit, squatting back in front of me again.

"An ambulance is on the way. Mrs O'Hare's waiting for it and is going to bring them here."

I look up to see Jasper standing outside the cubicle, his phone still in his hand. He looks flustered and his face is deeply etched with concern when our eyes meet.

Edward half turns toward him and hands him his phone. "Thanks, mate. Here, can you call my mum?"

Jasper simply nods and then walks out to make the call.

Time seems to pass in slow motion and I hold onto Edward while we wait. When the door opens again it's Jasper to tell us that the ambulance is here. I move to get up, but Edward stops me and leans down to pick me up. I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face into his shoulder as he carries me out. He places me gently onto a gurney that is just outside the bathroom. A small group of people have gathered to see what's going on, despite a few teachers telling them all to move on. I close my eyes and try to block out their pitiful stares.

They open again when I hear one of the medics introduce himself and assure me that we'll be at the hospital real soon.

"Is my baby okay?" I ask anxiously.

"We'll find out real soon, okay?" His words give me no hope. I close my eyes again and weep.

Inside the ambulance, Edward sits by me in silence, as the medic puts a cannula into my hand. Once he's done, I reach out for Edward. He grabs my hand and puts it up to his lips.

The sound of the siren feeds the dread rising within me. I am broken; lost beyond description. I can still feel my body losing blood and my heart aches for my baby. Weak and incapable of doing anything else, I roll onto my side and wail into the pillow.

* * *

**I know, I know. You want my head. But I'm getting some help at home this weekend, so an update should come within 24hrs. I will do my very best to not leave you hanging. **

**The last two chapters had the craziest amount of readers! I'm a little gobsmacked! I hope you're all enjoying this story. **

**Thanks to all the lovely reviewers. You keep me going...you got this chapter written. **

**BDB x**


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